As the Israeli Air Force relentlessly carries out airstrikes against Hamas in Gaza, social media has been abuzz with a video highlighting Israeli AH-64 Apache attack helicopters actively participating in operations against Hamas militants.
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The video, which emerged on October 9, is believed to depict Israeli helicopters involved in operations near the Gaza Strip.
According to information shared on X (formerly known as Twitter), Israeli AH-64 Apache attack helicopters are seen engaging Hamas militants using a 30mm chain gun and Hellfire missiles.
In the video footage, Israeli attack helicopters target and eliminate various objectives associated with Hamas militants.
Nonetheless, the video garnered widespread attention on the internet, with many netizens applauding the formidable firepower exhibited by these helicopters, especially the 30mm chain gun fire and Hellfire missiles employed in the operations.
Israeli AH-64 Apache attack helicopters engage Hamas militants with 30mm chain gun fire and Hellfire missiles pic.twitter.com/mkgMAawY30
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) October 9, 2023
A user on X commented, “The Apache is terrifying, especially at night. I remember seeing Taliban fighters in a camp trapped outdoors, and I can’t imagine the terror of being stuck out in the open in the dark of night with Apaches dropping hellfires and 30mm shells all around you.”
Another X user echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the Apache’s reputation as a source of great fear among the Taliban, describing it as an “incredible helicopter.”
The third user stated, “You can run, but you can’t hide from an Apache.”
Besides that, many other users on the platform discussed the Apache’s effectiveness in dealing with ground targets and questioned why the United States and its allied countries hadn’t supplied these helicopters to Ukraine.
One pro-Ukraine account argued that Russia had been regularly employing their Ka-52 helicopters without significant material losses in recent months and called for an end to what he considers false excuses for not transferring this chopper.
Another pro-Ukraine account expressed the sentiment: “Ukraine needs about 100 of these. Or even more.”
Israeli Apache Helicopters
Israel maintains two squadrons of US-manufactured Apache helicopters at the Ramon Air Base in the Negev desert.
These two squadrons are distinct in their helicopter models and nomenclature. The 113th Squadron, commonly called Seraph, handles the AH-64D choppers, while the 190th Squadron, known as Peten (Cobra), operates the AH-64A model.
The Boeing AH-64D Apache fleet, known as Seraph in Israel, made headlines in late May when the Israeli Air Force chose to ground it due to the discovery of a technical problem during routine maintenance.
However, following only a week of thorough investigation, the Israeli Air Force decided to reinstate the Apache helicopter fleet into active service.
In the past, these helicopters have experienced operational issues. Earlier this year, an Apache helicopter was unexpectedly forced to land in a central Israeli kibbutz during the Independence Day flypast due to a technical issue.
In 2017, another incident involved an Apache attack helicopter during a training mission. This resulted in a crash at a southern Israeli base, tragically leading to the loss of the pilot’s life and critical injuries to a crew member.
Subsequently, the entire Apache fleet underwent a two-month grounding period before the military declared it operational again.
Despite these incidents, the Apache helicopter remains a critical asset for the Israeli Air Force, playing a pivotal role in its ability to target diverse objectives.
This significance was underscored in June 2023 when Israel deployed Apache attack helicopters in the West Bank for the first time in over two decades during a military operation in Jenin.
These formidable Apache helicopter gunships were deployed at that time to support Israeli commandos.
This decision followed an incident in which a Panther troop carrier was struck by an “unusual and dramatic” improvised explosive device (IED) fired by Palestinian militants.
Currently, Israeli forces initiated one of their most extensive air strike operations against Hamas in the city of Gaza. Israel said that hundreds of targets were struck by fighter jets in a concerted effort to neutralize Palestinian militants responsible for a significant attack on Israel over the weekend.
Israel has explained that its operations are focused explicitly on targeting weapons storage facilities, manufacturing sites, as well as command and control centers that Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups operate.
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