On December 29, 1968, Israeli commandos conducted a daring raid on the Beirut Airport in Lebanon. In the span of just a few hours, their mission was to destroy 13 Lebanese airplanes that were grounded on the tarmac. This attack marked an escalation in tensions between Israel and Lebanon and had far-reaching consequences for both nations. To understand why this attack took place, it is important to look at the context of Middle Eastern politics at this time.
Day of the Operation
During the evening of 28 December 1968, sixteen helicopters – eight Israeli Air Force Super Frelon and eight Bells – took off from Ramat David Airbase with a mission to Lebanon. 64 Sayeret Matkal Israeli commandos were embarked in six of the Super Frelons while seven of the Bells had an active role, with one kept as backup. These airborne forces would be crucial for achieving Israel’s objectives that night. Five of the seven ships were devoted to safely evacuating the Israeli commandos, one was designated as a central hub for strategic planning and coordination, and another provided auxiliary services in patrol operations and communication.
The helicopters met up 12 kilometers away from the Lebanese shoreline while heading in the direction of Beirut. Additionally, 36 Israeli commandos were on hand and ready to be dispatched at Ramat David Airbase if a rescue mission was necessary. Two A-4 Skyhawk attack jets and two Vautour fighter bombers circled around for air assistance against potential interventions by Lebanese forces. Meanwhile, two Nord Noratlas transport crafts hovered above in order to help with evacuation later on; another pair of these aircraft flew around dropping flares, sending transmissions, and rescuing any individuals lost at sea.
A contingency plan was established in case the Betzet Aerodrome couldn’t be secured for an evacuation: a Boeing 707 would offer radio relay over northern Israel, and the Israeli Navy deployed four missile boats and two torpedo boats off the Lebanese coast. As part of this strategy, refueling points were available at Betzet to accommodate any helicopters in need of it. By preparing both land-based and sea exits, we could ensure swift exit from potential danger if needed.
One of the torpedo boats was unable to continue on its mission due to engine issues and consequently had to return home. The remaining force settled 25 kilometers away from the Lebanese shoreline in preparation for a potential evacuation operation if needed. Subsequently, 13 Shayetet 13 Israeli commandos situated themselves 1,500 meters off the coast with their rubber dinghies at hand just in case an alternative escape point was necessary.
As the Israeli commandos touched down at Beirut International Airport, they divided into three squadrons – Uzi Force (led by Major Uzi Yairi), Digli Force (led by Lieutenant Colonel David Diggleman), and Negbi Force (commanded by Captain Yaakov Negbi). At the same time, one of the Bell helicopters that were transporting Brigadier General Rafael Eitan, head of this mission’s operations, arrived nearby to serve as its central base.
Politicians Flying Israeli Commandos into Danger Zones
Eliezer Cohen, piloting another Bell helicopter, deployed 20 smoke flares and 95 smoke grenades to block the Israeli commandos from the view of the control tower and terminal. To further impede escape vehicles in the vicinity, he dispersed nails on roads leading away from the airport. This ultimately caused traffic congestion, serving as an ideal roadblock for those trying to flee or for emergency personnel en route to assist.
In order to maintain vigilance against any potential Lebanese military reinforcements, Cohen’s focus shifted toward orbit. He later identified a probable army truck attempting to bypass the blockage and enter the airport, so he fired warning shots in its direction that effectively caused it to cease.
Uzi Force, a unit with 22 Israeli commandos, rappelled the western runway’s northern boundary and discovered several stationary planes. To make things efficient, they wired three airplanes that were close to each other and blew them up simultaneously – leaving nothing but rubble in their wake. Afterward, they maintained control of the area while strategically blowing up every single plane by attaching explosives to its nosewheels or major gear before detonation.
As they accomplished their mission, the Israeli commandos discharged warning shots at any approaching vehicles and airport workers. To evade a confrontation with the Lebanese military, they opted not to penetrate into the airbase’s militarized section where several aircraft was being serviced. After accomplishing their task, they moved towards “London”, which was designated as the evacuation point located at the intersections of two major runways.
With 20 men, Digli Force arrived at the southern edge and advanced northwards, constructing a barrier and cutting off the rescue services building. They perceived four planes in total, three of which were recognized as Lebanese aircraft with explosives connected to them, so they annihilated them without hesitation. As soon as their destructive mission was accomplished, shots from pistols inside the terminal structure rattled around them -likely discharged by security personnel trying to make a stand against Digli’s troops-prompting retaliatory fire with heavier guns until all artillery ceased. With that taken care of, they proceeded straight away toward the evacuation point.
As Negbi Force, consisting of 22 soldiers, advanced towards the airport’s east ramp, they discovered several airliners. Confirming that four out of them belonged to Arab airlines and were connected with explosives, the Israeli commandos successfully destroyed these aircraft – three parked on the runway and one in a hangar. Next, they moved directly to their evacuation point while passing by the fuel depot, which they asked for but were not permitted to demolish.
After the allotted 30 minutes, all of the Israeli commandos arrived at the designated evacuation location and were ferried away via helicopter. Following a quick headcount to ensure that everyone was accounted for, they left Lebanon behind with their commanding officers in tow. The naval force that waited offshore received news of their successful extraction and returned to Haifa Naval Base without delay.
As a classic tale goes, after the shootout had ended during the final stages of an Israeli special forces mission, Rafael Eitan ventured into the terminal building and saw it in disarray without any security personnel. Not wasting any time, he made his way to a nearby coffee shop where he quickly drank a cup of joe before paying for it with Israeli money and walking away.
Conclusion
The raid carried out by Israeli commandos on December 29th, 1968, marked an escalation in tensions between Israel and Lebanon that would last for decades afterwards. While it may have been successful in terms of destroying aircrafts on the tarmac at Beirut Airport it also highlighted how fragile relations were between these two countries during this period – especially given that it occurred shortly after Israel’s triumphant victory against its Arab adversaries in 1967’s Six-Day War. Today we can look back at this event as an example of how small acts can have major repercussions on international relations – something we should keep top of mind when dealing with our own foreign relationships today.