Israel faced international backlash on Friday after it hit the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) headquarters and injured two Peacekeepers. It was during an assault on Hezbollah operatives in the Naqoura area of the country that Israel struck UNIFIL posts. The two Peacekeepers from Indonesia needed medical attention following the assault by Israeli tanks. Their condition was said to be stable.
T-Walls established by the UNIFIL collapsed after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) pressed more tanks and caterpillars in the offensvie against Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon. "Today, several T-walls at our UN position 1-31, near the Blue Line in Labbouneh, fell when an IDF caterpillar hit the perimeter and IDF tanks moved in the proximity of the UN position," the UNIFIL said on X on Friday.
The term "caterpillar" is used to denote the armoured bulldozers used by the IDF. From razing down houses to moving debris and explosives, the caterpillar bulldozers have been an inevitable part of Israeli military missions over the decades.
Officially known as the 'IDF armoured Caterpillar D9 Bulldozers', the Caterpillar in 2014 was recognized by the Guinness World Records as the most armoured bulldozer in the world.
Armoured bulldozers: Some history
It was the British troopers who started using bulldozers on the battlefront, history shows. When the Allied forces stormed the beach of Normandy on D-Day, they came up with medium-sized tractors ensembled with powerful engines and armours to protect the driver from enemy fire and sharpenels. They were tasked with clearing the many obstacles on the beach so that the troops could move faster. As the Allies used the giant tractors to make war-tarnished, rubble-ridden snady paths commutable, the "Caterpillar D7" was born...
It was only a matter of time before the IDF adapted the concept of armoured bulldozers and started rolling out the D9Rs.
IDF's Caterpillar D9 Bulldozers
Used over the decades in many conflicts including those in Gaza, South Bank and Lebanon, the D9R caterpillar bulldozers are operated by the IDF’s Combat Engineering Corps. The crew includes a driver or operator and a commander, Forbes said in a report.
They are mainly used for bomb disposal, road breaching, toppling buildings, sabotage and counter-weapons of mass destruction. The Combat Engineering Corps may sometimes become innovative in using the caterpillar for countering the mobility of enemy forces and missions involving construction and destruction under fire.
The D9Rs are equipped with bulletproof glass. Even rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and anti-tank missiles may fail to penetrate the armoured cabin pillars of these multi-purpose machines as they are augmented by slat armour, the Forbes report added. On the offensive side of things, crew-operated machine guns and grenade launchers are fitted to the D9Rs, the report added.
Who manufactures Caterpillar D9 Bulldozers?
Israeli Tractors and Equipment (ITE), which is part of the construction group Zoko Enterprises is the registered Caterpillar dealer that imports commercial market D9s to Israel before upgrading them for IDF use. Israel Aerospace Industries and IDF’s Technology and Maintenance Corps join hands with engineers of Zoko and ITE to equip the D9s to slat armour and other equipment, reports said.
Peacekeepers and UNIFIL
The UNIFIL was created by the United Nations Security Council in March 1978 to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon and restore international peace in the area. However, following the 2006 conflict, UNIFIL decided to include among its mandates to "Support the Lebanese armed forces as they deploy throughout the south of Lebanon" and "monitor the cessation of hostilities."
Reactions to the attack on UNIFIL HQ
Israel used Merkava tanks to repeatedly fire at an observation tower at the headquarters on the morning of October 10, the United Nations said.
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The United Nations condemned the incident as a "grave violation of international humanitarian law", while the United States condemned the action that threatened the afety and security of the UN peacekeepers.
"We understand Israel is conducting targeted operations near the Blue Line to destroy Hezbollah infrastructure that could be used to threaten Israeli citizens... While they undertake these operations, it is critical that they not threaten UN peacekeepers' safety and security," the White House said condemning the attack.