The IDF has fired over 100,000 shells to date during the current war.
Breaking down the shelling, over 90,000 have been fired on Gaza, and around 10,000 against Hezbollah and Hamas-associated groups in Lebanon and Syria.
Part of this massive firepower capability has come about from advances in the IDF’s Firepower Command, formerly known as the Artillery Command.
The name switched when the command reached a point where a significant amount of its firepower came from drones, such as Unit 5252 Zik drones, and not just artillery units.
IDF artillery units fire towards Gaza during the ongoing Israel-Hamas War, November 2023 (IDF Spokesperson’s Unit)
Drones Rochev Shamayim (sky rider) and Doher Shamayim (sky racer) from the IDF Firepower Command have also assisted extensively with collecting tactical intelligence.
The command is one of the military land forces’ heavy hitters in support of infantry, along with the Tank Command. Traditionally, artillery fire long-range shells and other explosives to strike enemy forces at a range beyond what a tank can fire, but are also slower in maneuvering than tanks.
In addition, the command fired more than 200 precision rockets against especially important enemy targets.
Further, senior IDF officials have said during the course of the war that they have not granted immunity when the target hid near, or with civilians or at civilian locations, all while the military continues to minimize harm to civilians.
New artillery battery ‘one of the best in the world’
Earlier in 2023, The Jerusalem Post reported in an interview with Col. Amit Guy that a major shift for the command has been switching its focus from the Doher artillery battery to operating the Roem (roaring) one. After 60 years of using an older foreign-developed model, he said the newer Israeli-made artillery-firepower unit “is one of the best in the world. It is much more autonomous; you do not need a person directing things as much and it can fire at a much more rapid rate.”
The Roem has a computerized and automatic loading process allowing it to fire around eight times per minute versus the twice per minute capability of the Doher. The Roem has other upgrades, including traveling on wheels as opposed to tracks, making it much more maneuverable.
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