The Hotchkiss H39 light tank served in the French Army during World War II. Ten of these tanks were purchased during Israel's War of Independence, and were of the first tanks in the nascent IDF's Armored Corps. These tanks were placed in the "Slavic" company of Russian-speaking Jewish soldiers of the 82nd Battalion. The Hotchkiss H39s participated in Operations Dani, in central Israel; Yoav, during which the Iraq Suwaydan police fort was captured; and Horev, aimed at removing the Egyptian army from the Negev.