Operation Priha
Encyclopedia
The Priha Operations were a series of strikes undertaken by the Israeli Air Force
during the War of Attrition
. Taking place between January and April 1970, the operations consisted of 118 sorties against targets in the Egyptian heartland. The strikes were carried out almost exclusively by the F-4 Phantom II
, operated at the time only by the 201 "The One" Squadron
and the 69 "Hammers" Squadron. Although tactically successful, the operations failed to achieve their objective of pushing the Egyptian government to sue for a ceasefire.
had achieved aerial supremacy in its battle with Egyptian air defences along the Suez Canal
. Israel, however, was incapable of translating its military achievements into diplomatic gains, and Egypt continued its war with Israel. To increase Egypt's cost of maintaining the war and compel it to seek a ceasfire, the Israeli government decided to take its war deeper inside Egyptian territory. These strikes were to take place within full view of the Egyptian public, as far as 100 miles from the Canal, with the expectation that mounting public pressure would force president Nasser to seek a ceasefire.
for additional support and weapons, drawing the Soviet Union
further into the conflict. Instead of facilitating a ceasefire, the Priha operations in fact increased tensions and led to further escalation in the War of Attrition
.
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...
during the War of Attrition
War of Attrition
The international community and both countries attempted to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict. The Jarring Mission of the United Nations was supposed to ensure that the terms of UN Security Council Resolution 242 would be observed, but by late 1970 it was clear that this mission had been...
. Taking place between January and April 1970, the operations consisted of 118 sorties against targets in the Egyptian heartland. The strikes were carried out almost exclusively by the 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,...
, operated at the time only by the 201 "The One" Squadron
201 Squadron (Israel)
The 201 Squadron of the Israeli Air Force, also known as The One, is an F-16I fighter squadron based at Ramon Airbase.-See also:*List of Israeli Air Force aircraft squadrons*Operation Priha*Operation Doogman 5...
and the 69 "Hammers" Squadron. Although tactically successful, the operations failed to achieve their objective of pushing the Egyptian government to sue for a ceasefire.
Background
By the end of 1969 IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
had achieved aerial supremacy in its battle with Egyptian air defences along the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
. Israel, however, was incapable of translating its military achievements into diplomatic gains, and Egypt continued its war with Israel. To increase Egypt's cost of maintaining the war and compel it to seek a ceasfire, the Israeli government decided to take its war deeper inside Egyptian territory. These strikes were to take place within full view of the Egyptian public, as far as 100 miles from the Canal, with the expectation that mounting public pressure would force president Nasser to seek a ceasefire.
The Operations
- Priha 1, January 7 - Two 201 Squadron F-4 Phantom IIF-4 Phantom IIThe 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 strike an SA-2 operators' school near Helwan, while a 69 Squadron pair attacks Egyptian command posts near CairoCairoCairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
. - Priha 2, January 13 - Four 115 Squadron115 Squadron (Israel)115 Squadron, also known as the Flying Dragon or Red Squadron, is the Israeli Air Force's aggressor squadron. Based at Ovda, it is the sole IAF squadron to operate fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and also ground-based assets.-Formation:...
A-4 SkyhawkA-4 SkyhawkThe Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a carrier-capable ground-attack aircraft designed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The delta winged, single-engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated the A4D...
s attack an Egyptian army camp in the Delta region, another quartet strikes barracks near the City of Suez, two 109 Squadron A-4s attack barracks near Tall al KabirTall al KabirTall al Kebir or Tel-el-Kebir is 110 km north-north-east of Cairo and 75 kilometres south of Port Said on the edge of the Egyptian desert at the altitude of 29 m...
, and two 201 Squadron Phantoms strike a signal camp. - Priha 3, January 18 - Two 201 Squadron Phantoms strike an ammunition factory at Jebel Huf, north of Helwan, while a 69 Squadron pair strikes an ammunition dump 10 km west of Cairo.
- Priha 4, January 23 - Two 201 Squadron Phantoms strike an ammunition dump 10 km west of Cairo, the same one struck five days earlier.
- Priha 5, January 28 - Two Phantom pairs, one from each F-4 squadron (69 & 201) strike missile bases at DahshurDahshurDahshur , is a royal necropolis located in the desert on the west bank of the Nile approximately 40 kilometres south of Cairo...
, south of Cairo. Another 69 Squadron pair attacks an army base 5 km south east of Cairo. - Priha 6, February 2 - A pair of Phantoms from 201 Squadron attack Egyptian army bases near AsyutAsyutAsyut is the capital of the modern Asyut Governorate in Egypt; the ancient city of the same name is situated nearby. The modern city is located at , while the ancient city is at .- Etymology :...
, in upper Egypt. Several MiGs are scrambled to intercept the Israeli raiders but are too far away to intervene. A 69 Squadron pair attack a P-12 radar station at BaltimBaltimBaltim or Balteem is a resort in Kafr el-Sheikh Governorate, in the north of Egypt....
. - Priha 7, February 6 - Two 201 Squadron Phantoms strike barracks near Gandela, upper Egypt. A 69 Squadron pair returns to Tall al Kabir in the Delta region.
- Priha 8, February 8 - Two 69 Squadron Phantoms strike a naval commando base while a 201 pair attacks army warehouses near Helwan. Egyptian Air ForceEgyptian Air ForceThe Egyptian Air Force, or EAF , is the aviation branch of the Egyptian Armed Forces. The EAF is headed by an Air Marshal . Currently, the commander of the Egyptian Air Force is Air Marshal Reda Mahmoud Hafez Mohamed...
MiG-21s are scrambled from nearby Inshas, and in the ensuing dogfight two are shot down - one by an F-4 and another by a 119 Squadron119 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:...
Mirage III scrambled to the scene. - Priha 9, February 12 - 201 Squadron Phantoms attack Egyptian radar facilities at Jebel Obeid, while a 69 Squadron pair is sent to attack army bases at Hanca. Mistaken identification of the target results in the bombing of a metal foundry at Abu Zabel and the killing of 70 Egyptian workers. Israeli defence minister Moshe DayanMoshe DayanMoshe 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...
informs Egyptian authorities, through the Red Cross, of a delayed detonation bomb at the site, and the Israeli government prohibits strikes against targets within a range of 20 km from the center of Cairo. Later in the day, two 201 Squadron F-4s strike army bases at Dahshur again, while a 69 Squadron pair destroys a radar facility at Abu Suweir. - Priha 10, February 17 - two 201 Squadron F-4s strike an SA-2 battery near Dahshur.
- Priha 11, February 26 - two 201 Squadron Phantoms strike an SA-2 battery and training facility near the air base at Cairo-West. MiG-21s are scrambled to intercept the raiders but break off when Israeli Mirages arrive on the scene. Later that same day two 69 Squadron F-4s attack another SAM battery in the delta, and are once again challenged by Egyptian MiGs. The attacking pair are withdrawn, but a 201 pair and four 119 Squadron Mirages on patrol are directed against the Egyptian interceptors. Three MiGs are downed by the Mirages for no loss, though Egypt claims the destruction of three Israeli aircraft.
- Priha 12, March 6 - Four Phantoms, two from each F-4 squadron, strike an SA-2 battery near El Mansourah and a radar facility near DomyatDamiettaDamietta , also known as Damiata, or Domyat, is a port and the capital of the Damietta Governorate in Egypt. It is located at the intersection between the Mediterranean Sea and the Nile, about north of Cairo.-History:...
. - Priha 13, March 13 - Two 201 Squadron F-4s attack a radar facility at Ras Obeid.
- Priha 14, March 17/18 - strikes by both squadrons against targets at Tall el Kabir and Helwan are called off.
- Priha 15, March 23 - A radar facility at Baltim is struck by two 69 Squadron Phantoms.
- Priha 16, March 26 - Two 69 Squadron F-4s attack a SAM site at Qassasin.
- Priha 17, March 31 - Four 201 Squadron F-4s joined by a single 69 Squadron bird attack SAM sites near El Mansourah.
- Priha 18, April 3 - Four 69 Squadron Phantoms strike SAM sites near El Mansourah again.
- Priha 19, April 8 - Four 201 Squadron Phantoms sent to demolish an Egyptian army headquarters near Bahr el Baqar, hit what turns out to be school, killing 47 children.
- Priha 20, April 10 - Originally intended to be a part of Priha 19, two 201 Squadron Phantoms attack a radar facility at Wadi Zur.
- Priha 21, April 13 - An SA-2 base near Manzala is struck by a 69 Squadron pair, while two 201 Squadron birds strike at a radar facility near Wadi Zur.
Aftermath
The expanding Soviet presence in Egypt and the increased likelihood of an confrontation with Soviet forces prompted the Israeli government to call off the Priha operations. Despite inflicting considerable damage on Egypt, the bombing campaign only brought the Egyptian public together behind their government. Instead of bringing Egypt to the negotiating table, it had quite the opposite effect. Humiliated and angry, Nasser turned to the MoscowMoscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
for additional support and weapons, drawing the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
further into the conflict. Instead of facilitating a ceasefire, the Priha operations in fact increased tensions and led to further escalation in the War of Attrition
War of Attrition
The international community and both countries attempted to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict. The Jarring Mission of the United Nations was supposed to ensure that the terms of UN Security Council Resolution 242 would be observed, but by late 1970 it was clear that this mission had been...
.