Israel readying new tank shells to counter Hezbollah

The Israeli military will soon acquire tank shells it believes will be crucial in the fight against Hezbollah and Hamas, the Jerusalem Post reported Monday. The new armament, the M339 – a 120-millimeter shell developed by Israeli Military Industries and the Israeli Army – explodes “only after it penetrates a reinforced target and then releases thousands of lethal fragments,” the daily said. The daily also said the M339 was the second newest tank shell addition to the Israeli military’s arsenal and joins the Kalanit, which it said was recently deployed in tanks stationed along the border with the Gaza strip and “is unique in its ability to explode midair over terrorists hiding behind various obstacles such as boulders or vehicles.” The Israeli military will receive the new M339 tank shells in the coming weeks, the paper said.