Battle of Hill 86
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Hill 86 was a military engagement between the Israel Defense Forces
and the Egyptian Army
in Operation Horev
. It was fought on December 22–23, 1948, and was the first battle of the operation. The Israelis initiated the battle, as well as a concurrent raid on the Arab village 'Abasan
and aerial and naval shelling of the coastal strip, in hopes of fooling the Egyptians into thinking that the coming operation would be aimed at isolating the Egyptian forces in Gaza
.
The 13th Battalion of the Golani Brigade
captured the hill on the night of December 22–23, but weather conditions prevented reinforcements from coming with essential supplies. The Egyptians counterattacked in the morning and the Israelis retreated after suffering over 40 casualties.
on the southern front. This was on the backdrop of the Folke Bernadotte
's second plan for the partition of Palestine, which called for the entire Negev desert to be part of the Arab state, contrary to the 1947 partition plan. While the Israelis made significant tactical and strategic gains in Operation Yoav, the political situation changed little—Egypt was dragging its feet on proposed armistice talks, and the Israeli government feared that the Bernadotte plan was still relevant internationally. Operation Horev
was therefore launched in the south with the final aim of expelling all Egyptian forces from Israel.
The main thrust of the operation was planned to be in the south and east of the southern front, with the initial aim of cutting the eastern wing of the Egyptian army from the bulk of its forces in Palestine. To make the task easier, the Israeli command decided to divert the Egyptians' attention by staging an assault against their main troop concentration in what is today the Gaza Strip
. Hill 86, strategically located 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) east of the coastal road
and coastal railway
, was chosen as the target.
, located about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) southeast of Khan Younis. 'Abasan served as the staging area for the Egyptian forces in the battles of Operation Assaf
.
The Israeli force consisted of several armored vehicles and armored personnel carriers with infantry. They left at 02:00 on December 23 and quickly captured the village. However, the Egyptians withdrew to an antitank position just west. The Israelis had not known about this position and at least two of their vehicles were put out of commission as they approached. The Israeli commander of the raid was killed and they retreated under a smoke screen.
Meanwhile, the support unit which possessed the heavy guns set out to reinforce the infantry. It met with logistical problems at Wadi Salka, which was full of water at this time of the year, and was surrounded by dirt and quicksand. In addition, Egyptian artillery bombarded the area. The reinforcements were forced to leave much of the matériel behind and allocate a contingent to bring it back to base.
The Egyptians returned fire from Dribat ash-Sheikh Hamuda only 200 metres (218.7 yd) to the south. An Egyptian convoy moving from north to south was intercepted by the Israelis and its weapons were used in the subsequent defense of the position. At 06:00 on December 23, they started their main counterattack, which consisted of about twenty tanks, four armored vehicles with mounted flamethrower
s and two infantry companies. The attack came from the north, west and south, but was beaten back by the Israelis, who, lacking proper antitank weapons, employed the four PIAT
s in their possession. The Egyptian commander of the 10th Infantry Brigade Group, Brigadier General Muhammad Naguib
, who would later become the president of Egypt, was seriously injured in the chest and pronounced dead, but managed to recover.
Until noon, the Egyptian infantry stayed back at a distance of about 150 metres (164 yd) or more from the hill and only the armored vehicles made direct assaults. As the infantry began to advance, the situation of the Israeli battalion became dire; it was almost out of ammunition, most of the medics and PIAT operators had been killed or wounded, the communication devices did not work and there was no artillery support. The position held on however, but after the rain that had been going on stopped, the Egyptian mounted flamethrowers entered the battle. This was the first time they had employed such a weapon. One of the flamethrowers was hit by friendly fire, but nevertheless they managed to inflict significant damage on the Israelis.
After the destruction of the armored vehicle, the Egyptians retreated to reorganize and the remaining Israeli forces staged a final counterattack with one remaining PIAT shell. However, during the attack they discovered that the Egyptians had a significant operational reserve of armored vehicles that would be impossible to destroy them. The 13th Battalion began to retreat, without organization or order, losing many lives in the process. The Israeli officer who served as deputy commander of the 13th Battalion was killed in action and left in the field. Twelve other Israelis were killed, 35 were wounded and a few were captured.
In Operation Horev
, the Israelis went on to capture Bir 'Asluj and Auja al-Hafir, cutting off the eastern wing of the Egyptian expeditionary force, before venturing into the Sinai Peninsula
, taking a number of key positions there.
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
and the Egyptian Army
Egyptian Army
The Egyptian Army is the largest service branch within the Egyptian Armed Forces and holds power in the current Egyptian government. It is estimated to number around 379,000, in addition to 479,000 reservists for a total of 858,000 strong. The modern army was created in the 1820s, and during the...
in Operation Horev
Operation Horev
At the end of Israel's War of Independence Operation Horev was a large scale attack against the Egyptian army in the Western Negev. Its objective was to trap the Egyptian Army in the Gaza Strip...
. It was fought on December 22–23, 1948, and was the first battle of the operation. The Israelis initiated the battle, as well as a concurrent raid on the Arab village 'Abasan
Abasan al-Kabera
Abasan al-Kabera in is a Palestinian town located in the Khan Yunis Governorate in the southern Gaza Strip. The town is connected with Khan Yunis city by a local street that crosses other villages like Bani Suheila and Khuza'a...
and aerial and naval shelling of the coastal strip, in hopes of fooling the Egyptians into thinking that the coming operation would be aimed at isolating the Egyptian forces in Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
.
The 13th Battalion of the Golani Brigade
Golani Brigade
The Golani Brigade is an Israeli infantry brigade that is subordinated to the 36th Division and traditionally associated with the Northern Command. Its symbol is a green tree on a yellow background, and its soldiers wear a brown beret. It is one of the most highly decorated infantry units in the...
captured the hill on the night of December 22–23, but weather conditions prevented reinforcements from coming with essential supplies. The Egyptians counterattacked in the morning and the Israelis retreated after suffering over 40 casualties.
Background
The third and final stage of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War started on October 15, 1948, when Israel launched Operation YoavOperation Yoav
Operation Yoav was an Israeli military operation carried out from 15–22 October 1948 in the Negev Desert, during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Its goal was to drive a wedge between the Egyptian forces along the coast and the Beersheba–Hebron–Jerusalem road and ultimately to conquer the whole Negev...
on the southern front. This was on the backdrop of the Folke Bernadotte
Folke Bernadotte
Folke Bernadotte, Count of Wisborg was a Swedish diplomat and nobleman noted for his negotiation of the release of about 31,000 prisoners from German concentration camps during World War II, including 450 Danish Jews from Theresienstadt released on 14 April 1945...
's second plan for the partition of Palestine, which called for the entire Negev desert to be part of the Arab state, contrary to the 1947 partition plan. While the Israelis made significant tactical and strategic gains in Operation Yoav, the political situation changed little—Egypt was dragging its feet on proposed armistice talks, and the Israeli government feared that the Bernadotte plan was still relevant internationally. Operation Horev
Operation Horev
At the end of Israel's War of Independence Operation Horev was a large scale attack against the Egyptian army in the Western Negev. Its objective was to trap the Egyptian Army in the Gaza Strip...
was therefore launched in the south with the final aim of expelling all Egyptian forces from Israel.
The main thrust of the operation was planned to be in the south and east of the southern front, with the initial aim of cutting the eastern wing of the Egyptian army from the bulk of its forces in Palestine. To make the task easier, the Israeli command decided to divert the Egyptians' attention by staging an assault against their main troop concentration in what is today the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
. Hill 86, strategically located 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) east of the coastal road
Highway 4 (Israel)
Highway 4 is an Israeli highway that runs along Israel's entire coastal plain of the Mediterranean Sea, its route in the north runs from the Rosh HaNikra border crossing with Lebanon until the Erez Border Crossing with the Gaza Strip...
and coastal railway
Coastal railway line, Israel
The Coastal railway line is a mainline railway in Israel, which begins just south of the Lebanon-Israel border on the Mediterranean coast, near the town of Nahariya in Northern Israel and currently ends in Tel Aviv; by 2013 it will be linked to the existing Ashdod Railway Station south of Tel Aviv,...
, was chosen as the target.
Raid on 'Abasan
Before the march on Hill 86, itself a diversionary attack, the Israelis made other diversions to ease the capture of the hill, in the form of heavy shelling of the coastal strip from their 75 mm cannons and a raid on the Arab village 'AbasanAbasan al-Kabera
Abasan al-Kabera in is a Palestinian town located in the Khan Yunis Governorate in the southern Gaza Strip. The town is connected with Khan Yunis city by a local street that crosses other villages like Bani Suheila and Khuza'a...
, located about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) southeast of Khan Younis. 'Abasan served as the staging area for the Egyptian forces in the battles of Operation Assaf
Operation Assaf
Operation Assaf was an Israel Defense Forces operation against the Egyptian Army between December 5–December 7, 1948, during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. The successful operation's aim was to take control of the western Negev Desert...
.
The Israeli force consisted of several armored vehicles and armored personnel carriers with infantry. They left at 02:00 on December 23 and quickly captured the village. However, the Egyptians withdrew to an antitank position just west. The Israelis had not known about this position and at least two of their vehicles were put out of commission as they approached. The Israeli commander of the raid was killed and they retreated under a smoke screen.
Battle
In the night of December 22–23, the Golani Brigade's 13th Battalion left its base in the nearby locality Shu'ut and arrived at Hill 112. They left heavy weapons such as 3" mortars and antitank cannons on the hill and continued northwest toward Hill 86. They were subjected to artillery fire, which wounded several soldiers, although it is not clear whether they were discovered or the cannons fired randomly. Disoriented, the unit had trouble finding the destination, but nevertheless managed to completely surprise the Egyptians when they found it, capturing the position.Meanwhile, the support unit which possessed the heavy guns set out to reinforce the infantry. It met with logistical problems at Wadi Salka, which was full of water at this time of the year, and was surrounded by dirt and quicksand. In addition, Egyptian artillery bombarded the area. The reinforcements were forced to leave much of the matériel behind and allocate a contingent to bring it back to base.
The Egyptians returned fire from Dribat ash-Sheikh Hamuda only 200 metres (218.7 yd) to the south. An Egyptian convoy moving from north to south was intercepted by the Israelis and its weapons were used in the subsequent defense of the position. At 06:00 on December 23, they started their main counterattack, which consisted of about twenty tanks, four armored vehicles with mounted flamethrower
Flamethrower
A flamethrower is a mechanical device designed to project a long controllable stream of fire.Some flamethrowers project a stream of ignited flammable liquid; some project a long gas flame. Most military flamethrowers use liquids, but commercial flamethrowers tend to use high-pressure propane and...
s and two infantry companies. The attack came from the north, west and south, but was beaten back by the Israelis, who, lacking proper antitank weapons, employed the four PIAT
PIAT
The Projector, Infantry, Anti Tank was a British hand-held anti-tank weapon developed during the Second World War. The PIAT was designed in 1942 in response to the British Army's need for a more effective infantry anti-tank weapon, and entered service in 1943.The PIAT was based on the spigot...
s in their possession. The Egyptian commander of the 10th Infantry Brigade Group, Brigadier General Muhammad Naguib
Muhammad Naguib
Muhammad Naguib was the first President of Egypt, serving from the declaration of the Republic on June 18, 1953 to November 14, 1954. Along with Gamal Abdel Nasser, he was the primary leader of the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, which ended the rule of the Muhammad Ali Dynasty in Egypt and Sudan...
, who would later become the president of Egypt, was seriously injured in the chest and pronounced dead, but managed to recover.
Until noon, the Egyptian infantry stayed back at a distance of about 150 metres (164 yd) or more from the hill and only the armored vehicles made direct assaults. As the infantry began to advance, the situation of the Israeli battalion became dire; it was almost out of ammunition, most of the medics and PIAT operators had been killed or wounded, the communication devices did not work and there was no artillery support. The position held on however, but after the rain that had been going on stopped, the Egyptian mounted flamethrowers entered the battle. This was the first time they had employed such a weapon. One of the flamethrowers was hit by friendly fire, but nevertheless they managed to inflict significant damage on the Israelis.
After the destruction of the armored vehicle, the Egyptians retreated to reorganize and the remaining Israeli forces staged a final counterattack with one remaining PIAT shell. However, during the attack they discovered that the Egyptians had a significant operational reserve of armored vehicles that would be impossible to destroy them. The 13th Battalion began to retreat, without organization or order, losing many lives in the process. The Israeli officer who served as deputy commander of the 13th Battalion was killed in action and left in the field. Twelve other Israelis were killed, 35 were wounded and a few were captured.
Aftermath
Despite the heavy losses and failure suffered by the Israeli forces, the strategic goal of the operation was met and the Egyptians focused their attention on the Gaza corridor, thinking that the Israelis intended to cut off their divisional headquarters there. When the Egyptians searched the body of the killed Israeli commander, they found documents pertaining to the attack, which did not discuss it in a broader scale, and this reinforced their belief that the aim was to disconnect the Gaza forces. An Egyptian officer wrote:In Operation Horev
Operation Horev
At the end of Israel's War of Independence Operation Horev was a large scale attack against the Egyptian army in the Western Negev. Its objective was to trap the Egyptian Army in the Gaza Strip...
, the Israelis went on to capture Bir 'Asluj and Auja al-Hafir, cutting off the eastern wing of the Egyptian expeditionary force, before venturing into the Sinai Peninsula
Sinai Peninsula
The Sinai Peninsula or Sinai is a triangular peninsula in Egypt about in area. It is situated between the Mediterranean Sea to the north, and the Red Sea to the south, and is the only part of Egyptian territory located in Asia as opposed to Africa, effectively serving as a land bridge between two...
, taking a number of key positions there.