the Middle East theater, including in combat against Allied forces during the Iraq War, and the 2006 Lebanon War, when it was used against Israeli forces. 2003 Iraq War The RPG-29 is believed to have been used in skirmishes against American and British forces during the initial 2003 invasion of Iraq. An RPG-29 round was reported in August 2006 to have penetrated the frontal underside hull (equipped with ERA) of a Challenger 2 tank during an engagement in al-Amarah, Iraq, maiming one and wounding several other crew members, but only lightly damaging the tank, which drove home under its own power. On August 25, 2007 a PG-29V hit a passing M1 Abrams in the hull rear wounding 3 crew members. On September 5, 2007, a PG-29V hit the side turret of an M1 Abrams in Baghdad, killing 2 of the crew and wounding 1, and the tank was seriously damaged. In May 2008, The New York Times disclosed that another M1 Abrams tank had also been damaged by an RPG-29 in Iraq, while fighting Shia militias at Sadr City. The US Army ranks the RPG-29 threat to armor so high that they refused to allow the newly formed Iraqi army to buy it, fearing that it would fall into insurgent hands. 2006 Lebanon War During the conflict, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz stated that the RPG-29 was a major source of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) casualties in the 2006 Lebanon War. A spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry denied that Russia had supplied arms directly to Hezbollah. Shortly before the end of the conflict the Russian Kommersant magazine acknowledged through anonymous sources the possibility of a weapons transfer between Syria and Hezbollah during the Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon. 2011 Syrian Civil War During the Syrian Civil War, Syrian Opposition Forces and Islamic State (ISIL) both used RPG-29s. Mexican Drug War The cartels are known to have smuggled RPG-29s with some seized by Mexican forces. 2014 Gaza War During the 2014 Gaza War, Hamas had used RPG-29s to attack IDF Merkava tanks, however because of the recently developed Trophy (countermeasure) they had little effect. Iraqi Civil War During the Iraqi Civil War, ISIL has used RPG-29s in Iraq, probably ones taken in Syria. And anti-ISIL Shia militias in Iraq have also used RPG-29s, the Iranian produced "Ghadir", which was supplied by Iran. Operators Current operators State operators Iran - Locally produced as