The IDF Blog reported Sunday on a recent combined exercise by the Armored Corps and the Givati Brigade in an urban warfare setting.
The IDF "continues to modify and fine-tune its methods" against snipers, terrorists hiding in houses, booby traps, and anti-tank missiles, the military website reported.
During the exercise, the tanks’ mission was to open up the streets while the infantry took control of houses. The two forces complemented each other: the Armored Corps provided cover from long-distance threats that the infantry could not detect, while the infantry provided protection to tanks from short-range threats, like explosive devices that cannot be observed by those in a tank.
After Operation Protective Edge in 2014, the IDF has been placing added emphasis on cooperation between the Armored Corps and Infantry, according to the report.
Lieutenant Aharon Stridower, a training officer in the Armored Corps, explained that “training is the closest thing to reality, and the coordination is important to be ready for any front.”
While the report did not say that the drill was meant to prepare for the next round of fighting in Gaza, the description of challenges facing the forces pointed clearly in that direction.
"Whether it’s civilians used as human shields, tunnel networks, or terrorists with knowledge of the area, the IDF will need to be prepared for this mode of combat," the IDF Blog explained.