The IDF fired a Tamuz surface-to-surface missile at a Syrian army
post on Saturday, after several Syrian mortar shells exploded in the
Golan Heights.
The Tamuz - a guided missile - accurately struck its target.
Earlier on Saturday, Syrian shells fell in open areas on the Golan
Heights, near the Israeli-Syrian border. No injuries or damages were
reported.
Israel submitted an official complaint to the UN over the mortars, an army spokesman said.
Intense
battles between Syrian rebels and Assad regime forces occurred near the
border throughout Saturday. Over ten injured Syrian civilians were
evacuated to Israeli hospitals in the North for treatment over the
weekend.
The official complaint to the UN is kind of useless, but I hope at least we're hitting back the side that is hitting us.
Video: IDF's formerly top-secret Tamuz missile in action
On Monday, the IDF disclosed the existence of a guided missile called the Tamuz.
The missile has a range of 25 km. and can penetrate armored vehicles. It can come with a different anti-personnel warhead. The missile is launched from an armored personnel carrier from two launchers, each of which is capable of carrying three missiles. The APC can carry an additional four missiles inside.
The Tamuz uses an advanced electro-optic camera that transmits the image of its target back to operators inside the APC, who then manually drive it toward the target. Tamuz teams work closely with an artillery unit, which operates Hermes 450 reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles that provide the intelligence on the targets that are then attacked by the Tamuz missile.
“The missile provides us with the ability to accurately attack targets from a standoff position without needing to physically come into contact with the enemy,” explained Col. Sharon, commander of the Artillery Corps’ David’s Sling Formation.
The Tamuz was used extensively during the Second Lebanon War in 2006 when Meitar fired 600 missiles at Hezbollah targets. Nevertheless, the results were not satisfactory and a new operational doctrine was written for how to operate the missile in an urban terrain and against which targets. The missile was again used against Hamas targets during Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip in January 2009 with greater success.
Until now, the missile was top-secret. Why has it been revealed now?
IDF sources said the decision to unveil the Tamuz came after long deliberations within the defense establishment. One of the reasons the missile was declassified was since the IDF has decided to upgrade Meitar’s capabilities with new weapons systems, and while it will still use the Tamuz, it will not buy more after the current arsenal is exhausted.
Heh.
Well, I did promise you video, didn't I? So let's go to the videotape.
I am an Orthodox Jew - some would even call me 'ultra-Orthodox.' Born in Boston, I was a corporate and securities attorney in New York City for seven years before making aliya to Israel in 1991 (I don't look it but I really am that old :-). I have been happily married to the same woman for thirty-five years, and we have eight children (bli ayin hara) ranging in age from 13 to 33 years and nine grandchildren. Four of our children are married! Before I started blogging I was a heavy contributor on a number of email lists and ran an email list called the Matzav from 2000-2004. You can contact me at: IsraelMatzav at gmail dot com
