IDF reserve solders have been recorded using a trebuchet, a type of catapult once used as a medieval siege weapon, to ignite bushes and dry vegetation near IDF posts on the northern border.

This tactic, which went viral on Thursday after the soldiers apparently shared it on social media, is aimed at preventing Hezbollah fighters from using the dense foliage as cover in the area.

The IDF uses a catapult (trébuchet) on the border with Lebanon pic.twitter.com/YT4hgQ872U

— OSINTNic (@OSINTNic) June 12, 2024

The thickets close to the border fence make it difficult for soldiers to locate Hezbollah cells hiding in the region. At the start of the conflict, reserve soldiers attempted to use Molotov cocktails to set the bushes on fire, thereby exposing the area so that the cells would have no place to hide. Lebanese sources have also reported the use of phosphorus bombs, which cause fires, and incendiary drones.

To address the issue without relying on valuable artillery, the reserve soldiers decided to assemble a trebuchet, a device that hurls stones and burning objects over distances of several hundred meters. This ancient weapon was used in Europe until the 15th century.

With reporting by JNS.