The weapons that will be used in close-quarter combat as Israel goes door-to-door to eliminate Hamas in Gaza: Infantrymen wield assault rifles, grenade launchers and machineguns as they are told military’s plan

• The IDF is currently preparing to invade Gaza to eliminate Hamas
• Tens of thousands of soldiers are waiting on the border for the order to go in
• MailOnline has assessed several weapons that will be used by IDF soldiers 

The Israeli Defence Force is currently pitching its tents on the border with Gaza as it prepares to invade in order to eliminate Hamas’ forces. 

Tens of thousands of armed IDF soldiers have formed a column alongside scores of armoured tanks along the border with Gaza in preparation for what top defence officials have said will be a ‘three-phase war’ fought largely by its land army. 

Global Firepower, which ranks the world’s militaries in annual reviews, says that in 2023, Israel had the 18th strongest army in the world, making it one of the strongest militaries in the Middle East. 

MailOnline has assessed and analysed several of the weapons that IDF soldiers have been seen wielding ahead of the expected invasion of Gaza. 

Israel has one of the strongest militaries in the world, according to Global Firepower

The X95 (pictured) weighs just over six-and-a-half pounds, and can fire up to 1000 rounds per minute

X95 Bullpup Assault Carbine

The X95 is standard issue among IDF soldiers, and is produced by Israeli Weapon Industries (IWI) primarily for use by Special Forces personnel. 

Its bullpup build, meaning the firing grip is in front of where magazines are loaded, means it is generally lighter and more maneuverable than other rifles of a similar size.

The carbine, a smaller and more lightweight type of rifle, weighs just over six-and-a-half pounds, and can fire up to 1000 rounds per minute. 

However, the magazine holds just 30 rounds, meaning a soldier would have to reload their weapons after less than two seconds of holding the trigger down. 

Its Pic Rail attachment system, running on top of the weapon, is most often used to attach red-dot sightings, but the X95 also comes with a folding iron sight as a back-up.  

It has been the standard issue weapon for the IDF since November 2009, replacing the M16 and the M4 as the go-to weapon for Israeli troops. 

The M203 is able to launch grenades up to 380 yards away

M203 Grenade Launcher 

The M203 is an attached grenade launcher that can be bolted onto a variety of standard issue IDF guns, including the X95. 

The launcher, which can be attached to the underside of many rifles, is able to launch grenades up to 380 yards away, though is much more effective at 160 yards. 

The single-shot weapon, which weighs 3.5lbs when loaded, needs to be manually reloaded after every round, which is done by sliding the aluminium barrel of the weapon forward, before inserting the round in and sliding the barrel back. 

While it is mostly found attached to rifles, it can be used as a standalone weapon by being mounted to a separate assembly. 

It is a widely used weapon, and can be found in the service of notable units including Ireland’s Army Ranger Wing and the UK’s Special Air Service.  

The Negev is well-liked by Israeli soldiers due to its easy of use and maneuverability in the field

Negev NG5-SF  Light Machinegun 

The Negev is a light machinegun that was developed in the late 1980s, and was slowly brought into service over the next decade, eventually becoming more or less a standard LMG issued to IDF soldiers.

The belt-fed system can fire bullets up to 1,300 yards, though it is only effective up to 870 yards.

The weapon can fire up to 1,050 rounds per minute, depending on the fire-rate setting chosen by the soldier handling it.  

Weighing just 16 lbs, the weapon is well-liked by Israeli soldiers due to its easy of use and maneuverability in the field, as it can be used by just one person, according to modernfirearms.net. 

Israeli troops are seen patrolling near the border with Gaza on Thursday, ahead of the invasion

Israeli tanks seen on a road near Israel’s border with the Gaza Strip, in southern Israel on Friday

Israeli soldiers prepare for the scenario of ground manoeuvres at an undisclosed location near the border with Gaza, in Israel, on Friday 

READ MORE: Israeli morgue worker says horrors inflicted on Hamas’s victims are ‘worse than the Holocaust’ including decapitated pregnant woman and her beheaded unborn child

Israel has revealed it is expecting a ‘three-phase’ war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the first time the country has set out a long-term plan to deal with its bloodiest conflict in decades.

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant told Israeli lawmakers that the IDF expects to start its three-phase war with airstrikes and ground manoeuvres.

The Israeli military then plans on moving onto defeating pockets of resistance from Hamas fighters.

Gallant said that once this has been completed, Israel’s ‘responsibility for life in the Gaza Strip’ will cease, following the warning it issued to Gazans to leave the country ‘immediately.’

Tens of thousands of Israeli soldiers and scores of tanks and armoured vehicles are now positioned on the border – ready for a ground assault on the Gaza Strip where 203 hostages are being held captive by Hamas terrorists.

A formation of Israeli tanks and other military is positioned near Israel’s border with the Gaza Strip, in southern Israel, on Friday 

Israeli soldiers prepare for the scenario of ground manoeuvres at an undisclosed location near the border with Gaza, in Israel, on Friday 

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant speaks during his visit to Israeli soldiers near the Gaza border on Thursday 

The massing of artillery and men at the border comes after heavy machine gunfire was heard along the border in the early hours of this morning.

And today, Israel continued to pound Gaza with a relentless stream of airstrikes with the IDF saying their fighter jets hit over 100 ‘operational targets’ of Hamas terrorists overnight. The strikes destroyed tunnel shafts, munitions warehouses and dozens of operational headquarters, the IDF said.

It comes after Yoav Gallant, the Israeli defence minister, on Thursday visited troops positioned along the Gaza border, and told them that they would soon see the Palestinian enclave ‘from inside’.

An infantry commander in the IDF told DailyMail.com on Thursday that they were ready to invade, adding there was ‘a very high level of optimism’ among his troops.

Israel’s leaders are determined to rid Gaza of its Hamas rulers, even if that means going house-to-house in an operation that could last ‘years’ and result in further major casualties among Palestinians.

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