Good morning team, It is abundantly clear from various historical, political, and military analyses that any future war against a peer or near-peer enemy will inevitably involve some degree of urban combat. The complexities, difficulties and dangers of warfighting within the urban environment is not only documented, but can be viewed real-time through the introduction of digital videology.

Consequently, militaries must be proficient in conducting both offensive and defensive operations in an urban setting. Military strategists have long emphasized the importance of defence in warfare, and current doctrine reflects this view. There are several reasons why a military may choose to adopt a defensive posture, such as creating favourable conditions for an offensive, decimating the enemy, securing critical terrain, or delaying the advance of a more formidable force. The success or failure of achieving strategic objectives and ultimately the outcome of a war may hinge on the effectiveness of a well-planned and well-executed urban defence.

What cannot be ignored is that Urban warfare has a catastrophic impact on civilian populations and poses serious legal and operational challenges. In cities — where 55 percent of the world’s population currently resides — civilians account for 90 percent of the casualties during war. The absence or denial of power, health services and sustenance is all a very real challenge of urban warfare.
The reality is that Armed actors hide themselves among civilian populations, exposing civilians to increasingly dangerous conditions and potential harm. Civilians are often trapped between opposing forces and take enormous risks as they attempt to move to safer areas. The use of explosive weapons with wide area effect often cause irreparable damage to essential services (water, electricity, sanitation, and hospitals), with enduring impacts on civilians’ health, safety, and well-being.
Urban terrain offers distinctive features that facilitate an effective and formidable defence, unlike other landscapes such as mountains or forests. The structure, intricacy, and density of human-made physical features in urban areas enable soldiers to promptly utilize or mould the environment to enhance their defence strategy. Such plans should aim to fragment the opposing force, segregate mounted from dismounted troops, restrict the attacker's capacity to navigate, undermine military technologies like intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance and aerial strike capabilities, optimize the element of surprise, and ultimately vanquish the aggressors in a piecemeal manner or secure time for further tactical, operational, and strategic manoeuvres.

My name is ZeroFoxtrot and this is my channel on geopolitics and all things military. This video will cover Urban Warfare and some of the tactics employed in the Defence. If this is your first time on this channel, I welcome you.

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