"The guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleep" Six day war | Yom kippur war | Operation "Yonatan" (Entebbe) | Peace for the Galilee The Six Day War (1967) From 1957 to 1967 the Israeli General Staff deemed that in the future war with an Arab state - or more the one - victory would be achieved by attaining air superiority. Accordingly, parameters set for budgetary allocation gave priority to the development of air power. Towards the end of 1966, border conflicts with Egypt and Syria increased; there were violent clashes and air battles in which Syria and Egyptian Migs were shot down; tension ran high. The Syrian and the Egyptian concentrated troops on the borders and tension reached its peak when Egypt ousted UN force from Sinai and closed the straits of Tiran, cutting off Eilat from the sea. Israel could not acquiesce to the blocking of its southern outlet. The war broke out on June 5, 1967. It opened with the IAF attacks on airfields in Egypt: the Egyptian air force was annihilated within three hours. Heavy TU-16 bombers and Mig-21 fighters were destroyed in the bombing. What was left Egyptian air force became paralyzed, as runways and control installation were ruined. The IAF then attacked the air force if Syria, Jordan and Iraq with similar results. By Noontime, the 1st day of the war, IAF had attained air supremacy over all fronts in eastern Mediterranean. Within six days, all Arab armies had been dealt with a devastating blow. With air force support on all fronts the IDF took hold of the entire Sinai Peninsula, Judea, Samaria and the Golan Heights. This put an end to years of boarder incidents, harassment and threats in the Gaza strip, along the southern border in the straits of Tiran. Jerusalem, and northern Galilee. Addandum: The Arabs shoot at Israeli cities with attend to hit and to kill citizens, despite their propaganda it clearly shows that they lack the basic human moral that most of us have. Israel, on the other hand, has never attacked cities on purpose, all the citizens who got killed - got killed on accidents which are inevitable in wars... The Yom Kippur War (1973) The war broke out on October 6,1973. It was Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. the holiest day in the Jewish faith. The Egyptian and Syrian armies started a concerted attack on land, sea and air, with a heavy artillery shelling of the borderlines at the Golan and the Suez Canal. Immediately, afterwards, large forces crossed into Israel. Egyptian infantry and armor crossed the canal assisted by air strikes and took the Israeli strongholds on the banks of the canal. The Syrians pushed westward with armor and infantry, advancing over the Golan Heights until they reached the approaches to the lake of Galilee. Both fronts were manned by few troops of standing Army, who could not prevent the enemy's penetration. Israel Air Force immediately started attack in support of the vastly outnumbered ground forces. IAF (Israel Air Force) attacks were carried out in areas heavily protected by enemy S/A* missiles. All the while numerous aerial combats took place so as to offer "clear skies" of the IDF (Israel Defense Force), mobilizing and moving north and south. An Israeli "Mirage" shot down at the outset of the war a Kelt-type guided bomb targeted on Tel Aviv, which was fired, by Egyptian transport plane. IAF kept enemy planes away from the heart of the country. Except for some few hit-and-run attempts near the borders, not a single enemy plane attacked our forces. The Syrians, having failed to reach the heart of the country fired S/S** Frog missiles at civilian settlements with no substantial results. In retaliation the IAF attacked economics and strategic targets in Syria, including the headquarters of the Syrian General Staff, the Syrian air force and the navy headquarters, major power stations, fuel depots, bridges, radar installation and military plants. The IAF repeatedly attacked the pontoon bridges on the Egyptian front, reinstated nightly to move additional armor and supplies to the Egyptian troops in Sinai. Egyptian attempts to develop a general attack on the canal were repulsed by counterattacks of Israeli infantry and armor. Savage fighting ensued with the IAF giving close support in an area well covered by Soviet-made SA-2, SA-3, and SA-6, and thousands of anti-aircraft guns. Also the Egyptian attempts to advance southward along the Gulf of Suez was foiled by IAF air attacks and the enemy forces retreated, sustaining heavy causalities. Several days later, the entire Egyptian 3rd Army was encircled by our forces and left to the mercy of the IAF. Heavy pressure exerted by world powers led by the United States brought about negotiation, and the fighting stopped on October 24, 1973. Egyptian losses during the war amounted to about 300 planes, 180 of which, were shot down by our aircraft in battle. The Syrian lost more than 150 Aircraft; 100 were downed in dogfights. The Israel Air Force lost about 100 planes - six of the in air battles, the rest to anti-aircraft fire and S/A missiles. Operation "Yonatan" (Entebbe) (1976) On June 27, 1976, a French airliner was hijacked while flying from Israel to Europe. A group of terrorists came on board during a stopover in Athens; after takeoff they commandeered the place, forcing the crew to land in Libya. The plane refueled there, flew on and landed in Entebbe in Uganda. It carried 254 passengers. Following negotiations the terrorists released all passengers but 97 Israelis and Jews, who were to be hostages, in return for their release the hijackers demanded that murderess and terrorists that were serving their sentences in Israeli jails be set free. The Israeli government held exhaustive diplomatic contact in the hope of the hostages. Meanwhile a military plan was being devised. A military task force would be flown from Israel to Uganda, take over Entebbe airport, free the hostages and fly them back to Israel. As no political way to free the hostages was found, concern grew all over the world for their fate – it was known they were not treated kindly by the Uganda authorities. The decision was made to rescue them by a military operation, which had been prepared and rehearsed with meticulous care during a few days. On the night of 3-4 July 1976, four IAF Hercules heavy transport planes landed at Entebbe. They carried highly trained commando force. The operation, planned in complete secrecy was the perfect deception. The planes, disguised s civilian aircraft flew in civil lanes. After landing the force used a gleaming black Mercedes bearing license plate whose number was identical to that of Uganda's dictator, Idi Amin. The Israeli force overwhelmed the Uganda security troops at Entebbe and freed the hostages after a short battle. Seven terrorists and some 20 Uganda soldiers were killed. Several Ugandan Mig fighters stationed at the airport were set on fire. But, the operation took a heavy toll, Lt. Col. Yonatan Netanyahu, the commanding officer of the force, was killed in action, and the operation named after him. Peace for the Galilee (1982) Long line of sabotage and terrorists activities aimed at Jews and Israeli citizens in Israel and worldwide, carried out by various terrorists organizations connected with the PLO over span of many years. Urged the Israeli government to decide upon measures aimed at ending the constant threat to inhabitants of the Galilee and to Jews and Israelis all over the world. The Israeli Air Force was sent to attack terrorist targets in Lebanon. The airborne attack commenced on Fri, June 4th, at 15.15p.m. The fighter-bombers attacked the el-fath*** combat training school and the Beirut football stadium. Both targets served as enormous arms, ammunition and explosives dumps, accumulated by the terrorists over a long period. The bombing was accurate and the damages to the terrorists were very heavy. The terrorist organizations responded by shelling Galilee settlements with artillery fire and with soviet-made rocket launchers. ("Katyushas"). During the same evening and through the night, Israeli aircraft attacked 130mm. Artillery positions, which were used for long range shelling off Galilee settlements. Additional targets in the zaharani river area were also attacked. On the following day, Saturday, 5th heavy shelling of Galilee settlements continued, while the airforce continued to bomb the artillery positions, trying to silence the shelling. On the morning of June 6th, our planes set out on a massive attack against terrorists targets all over southern Lebanon. This attack was meant to support Israeli ground forces’ drive into Lebanon. On June 6th, at 11a.m., Israel defense force infantry and armored unites crossed the border into Lebanon supported by massive air strikes and by helicopters. Operation "Peace for the Galilee" was on! At the end of the first days of the operation, with Zahal surrounding the capital Beirut, air force commander jen. David Ivry said of operation "Peace for the Galilee" : "Hard work, earnestness and heavy responsibility characterized our action of the previous years. An endless drive at improving, progression and implementing new idea and lessons… … and as to result-superb combat readiness, fitness, and capability, all were shown in our achievements". And indeed throughout this operation, the air force has demonstrated its long arm to the enemy and to an awe-stricken world. Having only just completed re-deployment following Sinai evacuation the air force performed at full volume using the new air bases. During this operation the air force operated newly purchased weapon-systems and aircraft, such as F-16 fighters, "Cobra" and "defender" attack helicopters, modified "Kfir" fighters of the Israeli aircraft industries, and additional operational systems which are amongst the most modern ones available, manufactured in Israel and installed in "Kfir" and skyhawk fighters. Mobile air force anti aircraft unites broke into Lebanon together with the ground force columns. "Vulcan" self-propelled guns became a real "hit" with the ground forces, with their firing rate of 3000 rounds per minute. These guns, capable of elevating their barrels, performed superbly in street warfare, firing at terrorist positions located at top high buildings. The highlights of the air-warfare in Lebanon were the strike against the Syrian S-A missile sites in the Lebanese Valley, and the achievement of total air superiority over the advancing ground forces by air force interceptors. Attacking a well defended S-A missile site layout had been a tough challenge for the air force since the 1970 war of attrition, and the 1973 October war, in which our aircraft barely attacked these sites, when partial success only, and suffering heavy losses. During the days preceding Zahal’s entry into Lebanon the Syrian fired missiles from their sites within Lebanese territory against out aircraft attacking terrorist artillery positions. Therefore we had no choice but to attack and destroy the missile sites. The strike against these missile sites was a perfect precise operation in which many participated: planning groups, air traffic controllers, ground and aircrews, all performed together skillfully, boldly, with utmost devotion. The brilliant operation was completed with NO losses at all on our side, and its lesson will undoubtedly be studied and thoroughly examined by many armed forces, east and west alike. Air superiority over the battlefield was achieved through many "Dogfights" in which different types of Israeli aircraft flew against Syrian Mig21, 23 and 25 fighters. The results of these encounters were astonishing and have no precedent anywhere, worldwide. The Syrian lost more than 80 aircraft while all our planes returned safely from the battlefield. This astounding victory was not gained thanks to the Syrian pilot’s low capabilities, as assumed by some experts, but thanks to the high standards and capabilities of the Israeli pilots. All types of Israeli air force helicopters were utilized through the operation. Giant sikorsky CH-53 helicopters were used as troop transporters and supply movers, bringing hundreds of tons of supplies to the slowly moving columns along the narrow and winding mountain routes. Bell 212 helicopters evacuated casualties. Their pilots landed risking their lives, under heavy fire in all the battlefields, so that the wounded could be brought safely to near hospitals. "Cobra" and "defender" attack helicopters were used for their first time under fire, against enemy armor, day and night. Although Lebanese topography was a tough challenge for the pilots, they performed excellently and their "Tow" missiles destroyed many enemy tanks and armored vehicles. Giant "Hercules" transport landed on the front line Mazra’at el-ba’at landing strip which had served the terrorists and was occupied by Zahal during the fighting. These transports evacuated wounded soldiers from the battlefield and maintained an airlift of equipment, ammunition, food, and fuel for the fighting forces. The Israeli air force demonstrated once again in operation "Peace for the Galilee" its capability and might - might formed by man and arms. * S/A - Surface to Air ** S/S - Surface to Surface *** Terrorist Organization.

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