Israel Defense Forces Tank Dramatically Flips Over During Military Drill

An Israel Defence Forces tank has reportedly been captured on film flipping over as a soldier drove it onto a carrier truck in the Jordan Valley.

The IDF Merkava tank's 24-year-old driver suffered minor injuries in the incident, according to reports.

In the video, the tank can be seen steadily driving up onto a trailer but suddenly it starts accelerating wildly.

As the tank hurtles forward, it can be seen almost running over a soldier who was attempting to direct the driver onto the truck.

The tank then flips over as it falls off the vehicle, landing upside down with dust billowing into the air. The tank's fire defense systems then appear to kick in as soldiers surround the tank.

The clip has been circulating on social media and has been viewed thousands of times. It was reportedly filmed by a nearby soldier, who can be heard speaking in the background.

According to The Jerusalem Post, he is being asked if it is a good idea to film the loading process, to which he replies: "When filming a tank going uphill, you never know ... I hope nothing happens."

The IDF said in a statement to the newspaper that the incident is currently being investigated.

"The division commander instructed to stop the movement of the combat vehicles that were protected in the division until the results of the initial investigation," it added.

Newsweek has approached the IDF for further comment.

The 24-year-old driver reportedly sustained bruises but was not wounded badly and he was taken to Jerusalem's Hadassah Medical Center on Mount Scopus for treatment.

Dr. Daniel Weiss, director of Hadassah's trauma ward told The Post that the driver's vitals are normal but he will stay in hospital overnight so that the medical team can monitor his condition.

According to the publication, a preliminary investigation has found that the driver was moving at an angle where he could not see the soldier guiding him onto the carrier base.

But the driver said the gas pedal also got stuck which prompted the tank to jerk forward and veer off the carrier, Ynetnews reported.

In the video, fuel fumes are streaming from the tank even after it has flipped, suggesting that the gas pedal may still be going.

IDF's History of flipping tanks

This is not the first time an IDF tank has flipped over during a training exercise.

In December 2019, a four-person crew was pulled from a tank unscathed when the armoured vehicle overturned in northern Israel.

In September 2017, two IDF soldiers, Lt. Avshalom Armoni and Sgt. Avinoam Cohen were killed when the tank they were travelling in flipped over during a nighttime training exercise in the Golan Heights.

Again in November 2016, 20-year-old IDF soldier Sgt. Ido Ben-Ari was killed when his tank overturned during an exercise on the Golan Heights.