1973 Syrian General Staff Headquarters Raid
Encyclopedia
The 1973 Syrian General Staff Headquarters Raid was an aerial strike carried out by the Israeli Air Force
on October 9, 1973, the fourth day of the Yom Kippur War
. Following a strike by Syrian surface-to-surface missile
s against settlements and installations in northern Israel
, seven F-4 Phantom II
s from 119 Squadron
attacked the Syrian General Staff Headquarters (GHQ) and adjacent buildings in downtown Damascus
.
At 03:35 on October 9, Syrian FROG-7
Surface-to-surface missiles struck Israel's northern air base at Ramat David
, killing one pilot and injuring several soldiers. Additional missiles struck civilian settlements nearby, including Migdal HaEmek and Kibbutz Gvat. The Israeli government decided to retaliate fiercely for the Syrian FROG attack, both to deter future strikes and to disrupt Syrian war efforts. The IAF was to destroy the infrastructure on which Syria's war-making capacity depended, targeting strategic targets in Syria such as its oil industry and electricity generating system. The first target was to be the Syrian General Staff Headquarters in the prosperous Abu Rummaneh
district of Damascus. The raid was to disrupt Syrian command and control, but would also serve to deter Jordan
from joining the war and would prove that despite the blows the IAF had suffered, it would not be deterred from taking the war to Syria.
had to be opened. The IAF therefore first attacked the Lebanese radar station at Barouk
, which had been linked to the Syrian air defence network and was capable of supplying Syrian defenders with advanced warning of Israeli strikes.
Three IAF squadrons were assigned the task of attacking the Syrian GHQ in Damascus and each was to contribute 8 F-4E Phantom IIs. Leading the strike would be a formation from 119 "Bat" Squadron
, led by squadron deputy CO Arnon Lavoshin (Lapidot). These were to be followed by 107 Squadron Phantoms led by squadron leader Iftach Spector
, with a 69 Squadron 8-ship formation coming in last.
Having taken off from their bases in Israel, the three Israeli formations first headed out over the Mediterranean, before turning north towards Lebanon and then east towards Damascus. Shortly after take-off from Tel-Nof, one of the 119 Squadron Phantoms suffered a mechanical fault, forcing it to abort and leaving seven to carry on.
Approaching their target, the Phantom formations encountered heavy cloud cover, obscuring their target and making low-altitude approach, essential for the surprise attack, difficult. Commanding the leading formation, Arnon Lavoshin was contemplating calling off the strike, but broke radio silence to inform his formation that they would nevertheless continue. Eventually a break in the clouds over Damascus allowed the Phantoms to see the ground, re-orient themselves and head for their target, catching Syrian air defences off their guard. Only after the first bombs had already struck their targets did the air-raid sirens sound.
One after the other, the seven 119 Phantoms released their bombloads. The top floors of the Syrian GHQ were hit, as were the adjacent Syrian Air Force
headquarters, a nearby TV station, a Soviet cultural center and several other structures in the city's diplomatic quarter.
Having arrived unchallenged, the Israeli aircraft extricating themselves were now engaged by the dense air defence array guarding Damascus. Two aircraft were hit. One Phantom was downed outright, killing pilot Captain Dov Shafir. His navigator, Lieutenant Yaakov Yaakobi, fell into Syrian captivity where he was beaten and tortured. Another aircraft was heavily damaged and suffered an engine fire, yet its pilot, Major Omri Afek, managed to bring it to a safe landing in Ramat David.
Unlike Lavoshin's formation, the eight 107 Squadron Phantoms from Hatzerim were flying a slightly different route to the target. These failed to spot any opening in the cloud cover over the target and therefore requested an alternate target. The Phantoms were diverted to bomb Syrian armor near Hushniyah, on the Golan Heights. Their strike decimated a tank column and allowed Israeli forces to push Syrian forces back over the pre-war ceasefire lines. The trailing 69 Squadron aircraft, having heard the 107 strike called off, returned to base after dumping their bombs and excess fuel in the Mediterranean, a decision which would later lead to much criticism from fellow pilots.
reported 30 people killed in its cultural center. Among the dead were several foreign diplomats. The collateral damage caused by the strike earned Israel a sharp rebuke from the international community, with the Soviet ambassador to the United Nations
condemning the raid as "barbaric". Syria claimed its air defences had shot down four of the attacking aircraft.
The raid on the Syrian GHQ, as well as on other strategic targets, nevertheless prompted Syria to withdraw air defence assets from the front in order to protect its high-value assets, thereby thinning front line defences. Both the Syrian GHQ and Air Force headquarters were forced to relocate. Israeli POWs returning after the war revealed that several airmen had been held in the bowels of the air force command center at the time of the strike and that the Syrians had later questioned them about how the IAF had known to avoid hitting their quarters.
Major Arnon Lavoshin was awarded the Medal of Distinguished Service
, Israel's third-highest wartime decoration, for leading the raid. His navigator, Lieutenant Elazar Lior, received an IDF Chief-of-Staff citation. Major Afek, leading 119's second four-ship formation, was also awarded the Medal of Distinguished Service for his role in the raid and for nursing his stricken aircraft to a safe landing, as well as for several other undertakings later in the war.
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force is the air force of the State of Israel and the aerial arm of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence...
on October 9, 1973, the fourth day of the Yom Kippur War
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
. Following a strike by Syrian surface-to-surface missile
Surface-to-surface missile
A surface-to-surface missile is a guided projectile launched from a hand-held, vehicle mounted, trailer mounted or fixed installation or from a ship. They are often powered by a rocket motor or sometimes fired by an explosive charge, since the launching platform is typically stationary or moving...
s against settlements and installations in northern Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, seven F-4 Phantom II
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
s from 119 Squadron
119 Squadron (Israel)
The 119 Squadron of the Israeli Air Force, also known as the Bat Squadron, is an F-16I fighter squadron based at Ramon Airbase.-References:...
attacked the Syrian General Staff Headquarters (GHQ) and adjacent buildings in downtown Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
.
Background
The Israeli Air Force (IAF) had entered the Yom Kippur War confident that it could deal with the threats posed by enemy air defences and be able to provide Israeli ground forces with essential close air support. When war broke out, however, the desperate situation along the fronts forced the IAF to abandon its plans for the suppression of enemy air defences, and concentrate its efforts on halting Egyptian and Syrian advances. The comprehensive Arab air defences systems subsequently exacted a heavy toll from the IAF, with some 50 aircraft, 15 percent of its frontline force, lost on the first two days of the war. The worst blow had come on the second day, October 7, 1973, when six F-4 Phantoms were lost during Operation Doogman 5, a failed attempt to neutralize Syrian air defence on the Golan Heights. Israeli efforts nevertheless succeeded in turning the tide, especially in the north, where on October 8 Syrian advances were halted.At 03:35 on October 9, Syrian FROG-7
FROG-7
The 9K52 Luna-M is a Soviet short-range ballistic missile complex. The 9M21 missiles are unguided and spin-stabilized. "9K52" is its GRAU designation. Its NATO reporting name is FROG-7....
Surface-to-surface missiles struck Israel's northern air base at Ramat David
Ramat David Airbase
Ramat David Israeli Air Force Base is one of three principal airbases of the Israeli Air Force, located southeast of Haifa, close to kibbutz Ramat David and Megiddo in the Jezreel Valley...
, killing one pilot and injuring several soldiers. Additional missiles struck civilian settlements nearby, including Migdal HaEmek and Kibbutz Gvat. The Israeli government decided to retaliate fiercely for the Syrian FROG attack, both to deter future strikes and to disrupt Syrian war efforts. The IAF was to destroy the infrastructure on which Syria's war-making capacity depended, targeting strategic targets in Syria such as its oil industry and electricity generating system. The first target was to be the Syrian General Staff Headquarters in the prosperous Abu Rummaneh
Abu Rummaneh
Abu Rummaneh is an upscale neighborhood west of Damascus, Syria. The quarter is centered around the palm-tree-lined Abu Rummaneh boulevard, known officially as al-Jalaa Boulevard, named for the evacuation of French mandate troops from Syria. The neighborhood serves as Damascus' diplomatic quarter,...
district of Damascus. The raid was to disrupt Syrian command and control, but would also serve to deter Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
from joining the war and would prove that despite the blows the IAF had suffered, it would not be deterred from taking the war to Syria.
Strike
In order to allow IAF aircraft to strike targets inside Syria without overflying the heavily defended regions around the Golan Heights, new attack routes through LebanonLebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
had to be opened. The IAF therefore first attacked the Lebanese radar station at Barouk
Barouk
Barouk is a village in the Chouf District of Lebanon . Historically, the village is known for being the "land of good", because of its fountain . The poet Rachid Nakhleh, the writer of the national hymn , was born in Barouk...
, which had been linked to the Syrian air defence network and was capable of supplying Syrian defenders with advanced warning of Israeli strikes.
Three IAF squadrons were assigned the task of attacking the Syrian GHQ in Damascus and each was to contribute 8 F-4E Phantom IIs. Leading the strike would be a formation from 119 "Bat" Squadron
119 Squadron (Israel)
The 119 Squadron of the Israeli Air Force, also known as the Bat Squadron, is an F-16I fighter squadron based at Ramon Airbase.-References:...
, led by squadron deputy CO Arnon Lavoshin (Lapidot). These were to be followed by 107 Squadron Phantoms led by squadron leader Iftach Spector
Iftach Spector
Iftach Spector is a retired Israeli Brigadier General, a former fighter pilot and commander of the airbases at Tel Nof and Ramat David. He serves on the Israel Advisory Council of Israel Policy Forum.- Biography :...
, with a 69 Squadron 8-ship formation coming in last.
Having taken off from their bases in Israel, the three Israeli formations first headed out over the Mediterranean, before turning north towards Lebanon and then east towards Damascus. Shortly after take-off from Tel-Nof, one of the 119 Squadron Phantoms suffered a mechanical fault, forcing it to abort and leaving seven to carry on.
Approaching their target, the Phantom formations encountered heavy cloud cover, obscuring their target and making low-altitude approach, essential for the surprise attack, difficult. Commanding the leading formation, Arnon Lavoshin was contemplating calling off the strike, but broke radio silence to inform his formation that they would nevertheless continue. Eventually a break in the clouds over Damascus allowed the Phantoms to see the ground, re-orient themselves and head for their target, catching Syrian air defences off their guard. Only after the first bombs had already struck their targets did the air-raid sirens sound.
One after the other, the seven 119 Phantoms released their bombloads. The top floors of the Syrian GHQ were hit, as were the adjacent Syrian Air Force
Syrian Air Force
The Syrian Air Force is the Aviation branch of the Syrian Armed Forces. It was established in 1948.-History:The end of World War II led to a withdrawal of the United Kingdom and France from the Middle East, and this included a withdrawal from Syria...
headquarters, a nearby TV station, a Soviet cultural center and several other structures in the city's diplomatic quarter.
Having arrived unchallenged, the Israeli aircraft extricating themselves were now engaged by the dense air defence array guarding Damascus. Two aircraft were hit. One Phantom was downed outright, killing pilot Captain Dov Shafir. His navigator, Lieutenant Yaakov Yaakobi, fell into Syrian captivity where he was beaten and tortured. Another aircraft was heavily damaged and suffered an engine fire, yet its pilot, Major Omri Afek, managed to bring it to a safe landing in Ramat David.
Unlike Lavoshin's formation, the eight 107 Squadron Phantoms from Hatzerim were flying a slightly different route to the target. These failed to spot any opening in the cloud cover over the target and therefore requested an alternate target. The Phantoms were diverted to bomb Syrian armor near Hushniyah, on the Golan Heights. Their strike decimated a tank column and allowed Israeli forces to push Syrian forces back over the pre-war ceasefire lines. The trailing 69 Squadron aircraft, having heard the 107 strike called off, returned to base after dumping their bombs and excess fuel in the Mediterranean, a decision which would later lead to much criticism from fellow pilots.
Aftermath
Syria reported 26 civilians were killed in the strike and 117 injured, while the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
reported 30 people killed in its cultural center. Among the dead were several foreign diplomats. The collateral damage caused by the strike earned Israel a sharp rebuke from the international community, with the Soviet ambassador to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
condemning the raid as "barbaric". Syria claimed its air defences had shot down four of the attacking aircraft.
The raid on the Syrian GHQ, as well as on other strategic targets, nevertheless prompted Syria to withdraw air defence assets from the front in order to protect its high-value assets, thereby thinning front line defences. Both the Syrian GHQ and Air Force headquarters were forced to relocate. Israeli POWs returning after the war revealed that several airmen had been held in the bowels of the air force command center at the time of the strike and that the Syrians had later questioned them about how the IAF had known to avoid hitting their quarters.
Major Arnon Lavoshin was awarded the Medal of Distinguished Service
Medal of Distinguished Service
The Medal of Distinguished Service is an Israeli military decoration.- Overview :The medal has instituted in 1970 by act of law in the Knesset and could also be awarded also for actions performed before 1970....
, Israel's third-highest wartime decoration, for leading the raid. His navigator, Lieutenant Elazar Lior, received an IDF Chief-of-Staff citation. Major Afek, leading 119's second four-ship formation, was also awarded the Medal of Distinguished Service for his role in the raid and for nursing his stricken aircraft to a safe landing, as well as for several other undertakings later in the war.