TEL AVIV, Feb 15: The Merkava tank developed and built in Israel is one of the most modern tanks in the world.

Israeli military engineers had one main goal in mind when they developed the tank: protecting its four-member crew.

But the 60-ton Merkava 3 tank failed to do just that when a massive, 100-kilogram bomb exploded underneath it in the central Gaza Strip on Thursday evening. Three Israeli soldiers were killed. The fourth crew member received light to moderate injuries.

By comparison, suicide bombers have normally used explosive devices of around 10 kilograms.

The blast left a 1.5 metre deep crater in the ground underneath the tank. The tank’s base was torn apart and the tank itself went up in flames, Israeli media reports said on Friday.

The Merkava 1 was first introduced in 1979, its successor Merkava 2 followed in 1983. The Merkava 3 came in 1990.

It has a 120-millimetre cannon (main gun) and a 1,200 horsepower diesel engine, which gives it a speed of up to 55kms per hour. In addition, it has a 60-millimetre mortar, as well as three machine- guns. The Merkava, meaning “carriage” in Hebrew, is the main tank in service with the Israeli army.—dpa