How Israel uses Caterpillar bulldozers to destroy Gaza

Video Description

Bulldozers have led the front lines of Israeli assault columns entering Gaza, demolishing everything in their path. The Israeli army's bulldozers – D9 models manufactured by the American company Caterpillar and armored with machine guns and protective barriers upon arrival in Israel – have become a significant force in the enclave. Tactically, they secure advances by infantry units and carve out corridors and military encampments. The role of these machines has also taken on a highly political dimension: they have spearheaded Israel's strategy to annihilate Gaza. In videos authenticated by Le Monde, Israeli soldiers operating D9s can be seen scraping agricultural land, destroying silos, and ramming houses and apartment buildings until they collapse like houses of cards. These same D9 bulldozer operators, sometimes invited onto Israeli television, boast about the relentless pace of their destruction. "Fifty buildings a week," claimed the most famous among them, Avraham Zerbib, even crediting himself with a revision of the Israeli army's "military doctrine." On camera, some commanders openly admit to having rendered entire neighborhoods uninhabitable, to the point that Palestinians would be unable to return. Such actions raise questions about the true objectives pursued by the Israeli military, and the proportionality of its operations in Gaza under international humanitarian law. This latest episode of Tactics, our investigative video series on the weapons transforming contemporary warfare, was published in French on October 16, 2025. Since then, Israel has marked a so-called "yellow line," behind it which it should withdraw as part of a ceasefire deal signed with Hamas. ✅ Subscribe to our YouTube channel now (and ring the bell for notifications 🔔) 👉 http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=LeMondeInEnglish For more of our coverage on French and international news, culture and opinion, visit our website: https://www.lemonde.fr/en/