Israeli forces have deployed the newly developed “Bar” rocket, designed by Elbit Systems, for the first time against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, the IDF announced Monday.

According to the IDF, the “Bar” rocket is equipped with an advanced navigation mechanism specifically adapted for challenging combat environments, allowing forces to strike targets with remarkable speed and precision. The 282nd Artillery Brigade, operating under the IDF’s 36th Division, was the first to use the rocket during ongoing operations in Gaza.

Artillery troops from the brigade, who have been active in the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the war, have fired more than 5,000 shells at terror infrastructure along the “Morag” Corridor — a strategic strip separating Rafah and Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Their operations have included the destruction of weapons depots, launch compounds, and the elimination of terrorists, often under the real-time direction of the brigade’s Fire Control Center.

The IDF highlighted the “Bar” rocket’s introduction as part of its broader efforts to enhance operational effectiveness and minimize threats to ground troops. In addition to traditional artillery and precision weaponry, the military has employed an innovative method of neutralizing explosive devices: old armored personnel carriers (APCs) packed with tons of explosives.

Remotely detonated ahead of troop movements, these modified APCs create an explosive impact equivalent to four or five JDAM bombs, allowing Israeli forces to preemptively clear combat zones of hidden explosives. Developed internally by the IDF, the method has also been successfully used against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon as the conflict expands across multiple fronts.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)