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Operation Hiram
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Operation Hiram, possibly also known as the Battle of Sa'sa', was a military operation conducted by the Israel Defence Force (IDF) during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War It was led by General Moshe Carmel OC Northern Front, and aimed at capturing the upper Galilee region from the Arab Liberation Army (ALA) forces led by Fawzi al-Qawuqji and a Syrian Battalion. The operation, which lasted just 60 hours (October 29-October 31) ended just before the ceasefire with the neighboring Arab countries went into effect.
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Encyclopedia
Operation Hiram, possibly also known as the Battle of Sa'sa', was a military operation conducted by the Israel Defence Force (IDF) during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War It was led by General Moshe Carmel OC Northern Front, and aimed at capturing the upper Galilee region from the Arab Liberation Army (ALA) forces led by Fawzi al-Qawuqji and a Syrian Battalion. The operation, which lasted just 60 hours (October 29-October 31) ended just before the ceasefire with the neighboring Arab countries went into effect. Its success ensured that the Upper Galilee, originally slated by the United Nations partition plan to be part of the Arab state in Palestine, would be controlled by the newly-formed state of Israel.
The Ground offensive was preceded by bombing raids targeting Tarshiha, Jish and Sa'sa from the 22 October, using B-17s and C-47s (Dakotas converted for ground support). The heaviest night of bombing was 29/30 October when 13 missions dropped 21 tons of bombs on the seven villages. The bombardment of Tarshiha triggered the mass flight after 24 of the inhabitants were killed and approximately 60 were buried under rubble.
The initial thrust was carried out by the Seventh Brigade advancing from Safad. The Seventh Brigade occupied Qaddita, Meirun and then Safsaf and Jish. The 72nd and 79th battalions then turned West to take Sa'sa. After taking Sa'sa the Israeli forces then turned Northwest taking Kfar Birem, Saliha and by the afternoon of the 30 October were at al Malikiya.
The operation was launched in response to an attack on the Jewish settlement of Manara by the Arab Liberation Army led by Fawzi Al-Qawuqji. Four IDF brigades (the Seventh, Carmeli Brigade, Givati, and Oded Brigades) attacked. The Seventh and Oded brigades advanced in a pincer movement toward the village of Sa'sa', the former coming from the town of Safed and the latter from Nahariyya, passing by the village of Tarshiha. Simultaneously, the Golani Brigade engaged in diversionary tactics in the direction of the village of Illaboun. The Carmeli Brigade, which was assigned to counter attacks from Syria and Lebanon, crossed the border into Lebanon, captured 14 villages, and reached the Litani River.
At the end of this lightning attack, Israeli forces reached the Hiram Junction, north of Safed. The siege of Manara was lifted, Qawuqji's army fled to lebanon, and the roads crossing the Upper Galilee were secured. With the Galilee under Israeli control, the IDF established a defensive line along Litani before withdrawing to the Lebanese border under the terms of the 1949 Armistice Agreements.
The Israeli air bombings caused considerable damage to the villages in the area.
The name is a reference to Hiram, the Biblical king of Tyre. He was instrumental in construction of the First Temple.
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