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Lessons from the IDF for the British Army

(Telegraph-UK) Maj. (ret.) Andrew Fox - As Britain's armed forces now face the prospect of being deployed, perhaps in Eastern Europe, the UK can look to its battle-hardened ally Israel for a crash course in lessons for the modern world. The IDF effectively used small drones for reconnaissance and attack, giving even junior infantry units an unprecedented situational advantage. British forces have tested Israeli-made drones. The IDF faced a 360-degree threat environment in Gaza, with enemy fighters emerging from tunnels, rooftops, and with drones above. In response, Israeli commanders decentralized control, allowing small-unit leaders to act independently. IDF Merkava tanks and Namer armored personnel carriers in Gaza withstood numerous Hamas RPG attacks. However, isolated tanks proved vulnerable to ambushes; better to deploy in pairs with infantry nearby. The UK should prioritize equipping its armored fleet with active protection systems similar to those used by the IDF. Finally, the Gaza war was fought both on the battlefield and in the media. Hamas effectively exploited images of destruction to shape global opinion, often exaggerating or distorting events. The IDF struggled to counter this narrative in real time, facing international criticism despite implementing more civilian protection measures than most modern militaries. The UK must proactively manage the narrative by rapidly releasing factual updates, providing evidence for military actions, and deploying information warfare teams to counter disinformation. The writer, who served in the British Army in 2005-21, is a research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society and a lecturer at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
2025-03-11 00:00:00
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