7th Armoured Brigade (Israel)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=Hativa Sheva Armor Brigade


caption=Insignia for Hativa Sheva Brigade
country=Israel
allegiance=
type=Armor
branch=Army
dates=1948-
specialization=
command_structure=Northern Command
size=
current_commander=
garrison=
ceremonial_chief=
nickname=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=1948 Arab-Israeli War (1948-49), Sinai (1956), War of Attrition (1967–70), Golan (1973)
notable_commanders=Avigdor Kahalani, Chaim Laskov
anniversaries= The 7th Armored Brigade ( _he. חטיבה 7, "Hativa Sheva") is a military formation of the Israeli Defense Force formed during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Conflicts involving the 7th Brigade include the Six-Day War and the Yom Kippur War. During the Battles of Latrun in 1948 the Alexandroni Brigade and the 7th together suffered 139 casualties. Its participation in the Six-Day War was under the command of the controversial Shmuel Gonen (Gorodish). In the Yom Kippur War, it was stationed at the defence line of the northern part of the Golan Heights (sharing the defence with the Barak Armored Brigade), where it came under a heavy Syrian attack.

During the 1948 War, the 7th Brigade primarily consisted of Sherman tanks and mounted infantry. Early on, the 7th also contained an artillery element. During the 1960s, the brigade was equipped with British Centurion tanks modified in Israel. These were gradually superseded in the late 1970s by the Israeli-made Merkavas, of which several versions have since been employed.

The 7th Brigade once belonged to Israel's Southern Command. Since the end of the Six Day War, the 7th has been based in the Golan Heights as part of the 36th Armoured Division.

Units

* 71st Battalion was in the 1948 Latrun Battles
* 72nd Battalion was in the 1948 Latrun Battles
* 73rd Battalion was in the 1948 Latrun Battles
* 75th "Romach"/"Lance" Armor Battalion (Merkava Mk.2)
* 77th "Oz"/"Courage" Armor Battalion (Merkava Mk.2)
* 82nd "Gaash"/"Rage" Armor Battalion (Merkava Mk.2)
* 603th "Lahav"/"Blade" Armored Engineer Battalion
* Sayeret 7 Armored Reconnaissance Company
* Anti-Tank Guided Missile Company