Israeli army uses M113 «Zelda» unmanned armored personnel carriers in Rafah — remotely controlled weapons and 4 tons of payload

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) deployed M113 «Zelda» remotely piloted armored personnel carriers in Rafah. Heavy drones have also been spotted recently in Jabaliya, and according to some reports, as early as February. The army has been using unmanned armored personnel carriers in high-risk areas to save lives.

Gaza war unit tracker reports that an IDF commander familiar with the technology confirmed this: “M113s with remote control have been used since the beginning of the war. Some of these vehicles are equipped with remote-controlled anti-tank weapons, providing additional firepower and flexibility of use.

IDF remote-controlled M113 “Zelda” seen on Zaruub Hill in Rafah. One like this was seen a few days ago already in Jabaliya, and once before that in February. They explode on impact.

I asked an IDF commander familiar with this type of weapon and was told that the IDF has used… pic.twitter.com/diIQbpgQkP

— Gaza war unit tracker (@2023gazawar) May 27, 2024

The unmanned M113s are deployed in high-risk areas to reduce casualties and serious injuries during complex urban raids. These vehicles enhance the IDF’s ability to conduct operations in densely populated areas while minimizing the danger to soldiers.

The M113 «Zelda» — APC is an Israeli modification of the American M113, adapted to the country’s hot climate. The armored personnel carrier has mounts for 1x 12.7 mm machine gun and 4x 7.62 mm. The unmanned version was created in 2014. The unmanned APC is controlled from a vehicle. The unmanned model can reach speeds of up to 50 km/h, can carry 4 tons of load and deliver supplies to the front lines.

Source: Defence Blog