JERUSALEM, Oct. 20 (JTA) – Israel Defense Force officials are reviewing the capabilities of the Merkava tank, which has shown itself to be more vulnerable in combat than army officials previously believed. While the review continues, the IDF is withdrawing the tank from southern Lebanon, the Israeli daily Ma’ariv reported. An Israeli soldier, Sgt. Ronen Hayun, 19, was killed over the weekend when his Merkava tank was hit by Hezbollah missiles. It was the second time that an Israeli soldier was killed inside such a tank in recent weeks. The Merkava is considered a first-rate tank, with a highly sophisticated technology designed to protect its crew. As part of their review of the tank’s possible vulnerable points, IDF officials, headed by Reserve Gen. Yisrael Tal, the developer of the tank, will attempt to determine the type of missile that struck the tank over the weekend.
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