Operation Egged also known as the Kuntilla operation was an Israeli military operation carried out on night of October 28-29, 1955 that targeted an Egyptian military post at Kuntilla, located in northeastern Sinai. The operation was a success and resulted in the destruction of the post. Twelve Egyptian soldiers were killed and twenty-nine were take prisoner. There were two Israeli fatalities.

Background

On October 26, 1955 Egyptian forces raided a small Israeli outpost at Be’erotaim, located in the southern sector of the Nitzana/El-Auja demilitarized zone. One Israel Defense Force (IDF) soldier was killed and two were captured. Concurrent with this action, sizable Egyptian forces took control of positions in the southern corner of the Demilitarized Zone near El-Sabcha. Elements of this force also penetrated one kilometer into Israeli territory and occupied positions near a strategic hill, which the Israelis code-named “Lilly.”

The Battle

Moshe Dayan

Moshe Dayan

Moshe Dayan was an Israeli military leader and politician. The fourth Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces , he became a fighting symbol to the world of the new State of Israel...

, Israel’s Chief of Staff authorized an immediate retaliation for the Egyptian border transgression but in an entirely different sector. The chosen target was an Egyptian military post near Kuntilla, one-hundred miles south of the Demilitarized Zone. On the night of October 28-29, 1955 two-hundred paratroopers commanded by Ariel Sharon

Ariel Sharon

Ariel Sharon is an Israeli statesman and retired general, who served as Israel’s 11th Prime Minister. He has been in a permanent vegetative state since suffering a stroke on 4 January 2006....

 attacked the Kuntilla post killing twelve Egyptian soldiers and capturing twenty-nine others. The post was leveled. Two Israeli soldiers, Yaakov Mizrahi and Amnon Abukai, were killed. Both were issued posthumous medals (Mizrahi for "Valor" and Abukai for "Courage") for their daring conduct during the assault.

Aftermath

Operation Egged merely served as a diversion for the main Israeli assault which was ultimately directed at Egyptian positions in and around El-Sachba. The ruse worked. On the night of November 2-3, Israel initiated Operation Volcano

Operation Volcano (Israeli raid)

Operation Volcano , also known as Operation Sabcha, was a large-scale Israel Defense Force military operation carried out on the night of November 2-3, 1955 against Egyptian military positions in and around the Nitzana/Auja vicinity. The operation was successful and resulted in the permanent...

. Israeli paratroopers as well as infantry units from the Golani

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...

 and Nahal

Nahal

Nahal is an Israel Defense Forces infantry brigade. Historically, it refers to a program that combines military service and establishment of new agricultural settlements, often in outlying areas...

Brigades attacked Egyptian positions at El-Sabcha killing eighty-one Egyptian soldiers and capturing fifty-five others. Following the Sabcha operation, there were no more Egyptian incursions into the Demilitarized Zone.