August 15, 2006: The frequent use of ATGMs (Anti-Tank Guided Missiles) by Hizbollah in Lebanon did not result in many destroyed Israeli tanks. That's because the armor of the Merkava is of a modern design, and constructed to defeat ATGM warheads. But the Hizbollah fighters were smart enough to aim the missiles at the top of the Merkava turrets, where the tank commander was usually exposed, with at least head and shoulders outside the open hatch. When the ATGM exploded, it would kill the tank commander, and sometimes injure other crew inside the turret. Tank's aren't much good without a crew.
Hizbollah also used distant ATGM crews to assist Hizbollah gunmen fighting it out with Israeli infantry in villages. When some Israeli infantry were seen to duck into a building for cover, a Hizbollah ATGM was sometimes fired at the building, killing or injuring the Israelis inside. While the Hizbollah gunmen rarely survived firefights with the Israelis, the long distance ATBM support increased Israeli casualties, and made the Israeli infantry more cautious about what they used for cover.