Absolutely, I was thinking the same thing.
I used to trail ride ATVs in the Colorado Rockies, every year sometimes 2-3 times a year for decades back in the 90s and 2000s.
I have pinched ATV tires on those same sharp rocks plenty of times, nothing to do with skinny tires on utility quads, plenty of sidewall on those quads, we especially fought problems like that early on, well before we figured out that it was always best to upgrade the tires to an appropriate ply tire before taking on terrain like that.
Same thing would go for SUVs and trucks. They simply need a heavy ply tire to take on rocks like that.

I have no doubt that 18s would have been a better choice for terrain like that, but still the stock street tire even in an 18" spec, especially if aired down, would have likely had the same results.
I do think 18" rims do tend to protect the rims better from trail rash, but any crappy highway tire is likely to get cut down in those sharp rocks.

If anyone is not familiar with the Tommy melt down and double flat tire incidents, which is where they managed to cut down two tires and strand their Defender on the mountain here is links to those videos.

Video where the flats occur.

Video where they rescue the flat tire stranded Defender.

 

The 90 they bought came with 18” steelies and KO2s. They'll have a very different experience this time.

 

From what i've gathered the 2025s have an updated phone charging pad that is in the same location but slanted for easy access and the larger screen is standard.

 

From what i've gathered the 2025s have an updated phone charging pad that is in the same location but slanted for easy access and the larger screen is standard.

 

The TFL guys are or at least seem like real Land Rover fans, but would say they try and provide honest info.
‘This was a pretty good LR Disco off reading video.
‘Between the TFL company owned LRs and their staff owned LRs they really have great deal of LR content on there off road and car and truck channels.
and many many more .