List of female Russian surnames. Beautiful surnames for girls
Tiny Israel is rightfully considered the third (after the Reich and the USSR) great tank power, which is not surprising: the Israelis are the most fought tankers of the second half of the 20th century, the grandiose tank battles of the Six Day War and the Yom Kippur War are not inferior in scope, intensity and dynamism to the battles of the Second World War, and it is not for nothing that the legendary Merkava is called one of the best modern tanks (if not the best), which has proven its highest efficiency both in war and during anti-terrorist operations.
A new book by a leading armor historian pays tribute to the Hebrew "chariots" (that's how the word "merkavah" is translated from Hebrew), restoring true story combat use of ALL types of Israeli tanks in ALL Arab-Israeli wars and refuting many myths and fables generated by the regime of secrecy, with which everything is in order in the Holy Land - the USSR is resting! This book is a veritable encyclopedia of Israeli tank power, illustrated with hundreds of exclusive drawings and photographs.
It is not the purpose of this book detailed story about the course of this war and the events that preceded it. Our goal is the actions of the tank forces of the Israel Defense Forces, but still, at least in a summary form, both of the above-mentioned issues will still have to be covered. Moreover, the facts indicate the unsightly role played by the Soviet Union in starting this war.
On May 13, 1967, the Egyptian government received official government notification that Israeli forces were preparing an attack on Syria and that 11 to 13 Israeli brigades were concentrated on Israel's northern border for this purpose. This message was made in Moscow, in a personal conversation with the Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR N.V. Podgorny with the head of the Egyptian parliamentary delegation to the USSR Anwar Sadat. Currently, historians have enough factual material at their disposal to assert that this information was false and provocative. With its help, the Soviet Union pushed Arab countries to invade Israel.
Fueled by his generals and information received from the Soviet Union, on May 18, 1967, Nasser demanded the withdrawal of UN troops from the armistice line with Israel and the shores of the Strait of Tiran, brought Egyptian troops to these positions and closed the exit for Israeli ships from the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea. On May 30, King Hussein of Jordan joined the Egyptian-Syrian “anti-Israeli front.” A blockade of the Israeli coast was declared. The situation in the region has deteriorated sharply. All attempts by Israel during May to gain diplomatic support from the great powers - the USA, Great Britain and France - ended in nothing. No one wanted to take Israel's side, either financially or even morally.
Israeli "centurions" on maneuvers shortly before the 1967 war
Meanwhile, jubilant demonstrations took place in Cairo and Damascus - huge crowds of people carried placards expressing enthusiastic support for their governments. Newspapers came out with huge headlines: “The end of Israel!” and with drawings that depicted Tel Aviv burning with streets stained with blood and piles of skulls in the foreground.
It is easy to guess that in Israel the mood was the opposite. Israel was created by survivors of the Holocaust, in whose crematoria Europe's six million Jewish population disappeared. So the indifferent non-interference of the world observing the development of the conflict touched the most painful memories - to count on “ fair world there was nothing of this. To paraphrase famous saying Russian Emperor Alexandra III, we can say that in the spring of 1967, Israel had only two allies left - the army and the navy. Considering that the Israeli Navy is the same branch of the military as the Air Force and Ground Forces, it turns out that, by and large, there was only one ally - the IDF - the Israel Defense Forces.
On the evening of June 1, Moshe Dayan was appointed to the post of Israeli Defense Minister. This man was known to the Soviet average person mainly from the lines of V. Vysotsky:
At first I was not drunk, I objected twice - I said: “Moshe Dayan - One-eyed bitch, - Aggressive, beast, Pure Pharaoh, - Well, where is the aggression - There is no reason for me.”
Well, besides, there were all sorts of stories that he was a colonel in the Red Army, a Hero of the Soviet Union and was sent to Israel on the orders of the KGB. All this, of course, is nonsense. Moshe Dayan was born in 1915 in Palestine into a family of immigrants from the Russian Empire. During World War II, he took part in hostilities in Syria and Lebanon against the French Vichyists (the Vichy regime in France collaborated with Hitler). During one of the operations he was wounded (the binoculars Dayan was looking through were broken by a French bullet) and lost an eye. He was indeed awarded, but by the British, the Order of Distinguished Service. It was no more aggressive than in Israel as a whole. It is mainly a product of Soviet propaganda. To Israeli society, he was better known as a braggart and womanizer. But at the same time, as a talented military leader, capable of making quick and correct decisions at a critical moment, as a person who was not afraid to take responsibility. At that moment it was what we needed!
The cunning Moshe first started misleading the Arabs. On Saturday, June 3, 1967, photographs appeared in the newspapers of Israeli soldiers on leave spending time with their families or sunbathing on sea beaches. Moshe Dayan gave a brilliant speech in which he expressed confidence that war would undoubtedly be avoided. IDF Chief of Staff General Yitzhak Rabin seemed no busier than usual. And the Arabs believed them, which, however, is not surprising - their superiority in forces over Israel was overwhelming, and the very thought of any active actions on its part seemed simply impossible to them.
105-mm self-propelled howitzer M7 "Priest". By the beginning of the Six-Day War, the IDF had three divisions of such self-propelled guns (36 units). In Israel, the M7 self-propelled gun was called “TOMAT Priest” (TOMAT - Totah Mitnayea - self-propelled gun)
Thanks to the steps taken to misinform the enemy and the world community, the Israelis gained an important trump card - the moment of surprise.
The combat plan developed at the IDF headquarters provided for the introduction into battle of four tank brigades and the motorized infantry and self-propelled artillery formations assigned to them after a surprise air strike on Egyptian airfields. The goal of the maneuver groups was to defeat the enemy’s Sinai group and reach the eastern bank of the Suez Canal. After this, it was planned to transfer efforts to the Syrian front.
AMX-13 tanks and their crews. Israel, 1960s
By the beginning of hostilities, the strongest group of Egyptian troops was deployed in the Sinai and Suez Canal zone. Seven divisions were deployed in eastern and central Sinai. These divisions were formed according to the Soviet model and had a total of approximately 100 thousand people, 800 guns and multiple launch rocket systems and about 900 tanks (if you count the rear and airfield units, the figure will be higher, perhaps up to 170 thousand people - exact data is never not published). Three Egyptian divisions formed the first echelon. The 20th “Palestinian” division was in the Gaza Strip, the 7th Infantry was in the fortified area of Rafah, at the junction of Gaza and the Sinai Peninsula, and the 2nd Infantry, which occupied the fortified area around Abu Ageila, at the “entrance” to central Sinai . The second echelon consisted of the 3rd Infantry and 6th Mechanized Divisions. Two armored groups - the 4th Panzer Division and the so-called “Task Force of General Chazli” - were a mobile reserve, ready, depending on the situation, either to help the divisions defending fortified areas, or to go on the offensive and transfer the war to Israeli territory. Due to suspicious Israeli tank movements in the Negev, these forces were moved south in anticipation of an attack on the center of Sinai, according to the 1956 scheme. Both Rafah and the Um Qatif-Abu Agheila area were fortified according to the Soviet fortification system - continuous strips covered with minefields, with pre-prepared artillery and tank positions.
A unit of Sherman tanks 1.151 advances to the front line in the Sinai Peninsula, 1967. By the beginning of the Six-Day War, the IDF had 177 Shermans with a 105-mm cannon
Nasser did not agree to give up an inch of territory, even if it was beneficial from a military point of view. Political considerations outweighed military benefits - the expected Israeli offensive had to be resisted right on the border. Therefore, all directions available for advancement into the depths of Sinai were reliably blocked by fortifications, mines and positions of artillery and missile batteries. True, the readiness of the troops was not at the proper level. The situation developed spontaneously - in fact, the Egyptian headquarters itself learned that we're talking about about the war, and not about demonstrative maneuvers, only on the 20th of May. The plan for the war in Sinai was developed quite a long time ago and has not been updated since then. There were no preliminary exercises on it. Therefore, the placement of units in positions did not go smoothly - they had to be pulled from place to place, continuously moved, making room for more and more new reinforcements approaching the Sinai from the interior regions - Cairo and the Nile Delta. However, morale was high - the officers were confident that “a victorious offensive on Tel Aviv would soon begin.” The real plans of the Egyptian command were more modest: a strike in the south with the goal of cutting off Eilat and connecting with Jordanian troops, and then depending on circumstances.
Medium tank "Sherman" M51. 14th mechanized brigade. Sinai Front, 1967
From the three districts that form the Israeli defense system - North, South and Center - fronts were formed, as expected according to the mobilization plan. The southern command received the greatest resources. It consisted of three tank divisions and a number of separate brigades (10 brigades and several separate battalions in total), with a total of about 70 thousand people, 700 tanks and 326 artillery pieces, including heavy mortars.
The southern front opposing the Egyptian army was commanded by Major General Gavish. It was planned to operate along the coastal road, attacking the fortified area of Rafah, and in the center, attacking the fortified area of Abu Agheila. For this purpose, three divisions were deployed - the 84th, 31st and 38th. At that time, there were no permanent divisions in the IDF; in fact, they were headquarters that coordinated the actions of the brigades and battalions included in the divisions.
The 84th Division included two of the army's best brigades - the 7th Tank and 35th Airborne (both were personnel), as well as the 60th Reserve Tank Brigade. In addition, there was an artillery regiment (including two self-propelled gun divisions) and a group of tanks, staffed by cadets and tank school instructors. The division was commanded by Major General Israel Tal.
The 38th division consisted of three brigades - the 14th mechanized, 99th infantry, 80th parachute, and also included an artillery regiment (96 guns and heavy mortars). The division was also commanded by a man with an established reputation - Major General Ariel Sharon. His division was supposed to take the fortified area of Abu Ageila. The headquarters believed that if it was possible to do this at all, then Sharon would do it.
The 31st Division was subordinated to General Abraham Joffe. It included two tank brigades - the 200th and 520th, and all of it - from privates to the division commander inclusive - consisted of reservists. General Joffe had been in reserve for three years and was in charge public administration on protection environment. Joffe was tasked with leading his two brigades, nearly 200 tanks, between Rafah and Abu Ageila, through terrain that was considered impassable. He had already done something similar once - in 1956, when his brigade reached Sharm el-Sheikh, so he had the relevant experience.
There were other formations subordinate to the command of the Southern Front. One of them was the so-called 49th Imitation Division, which did not participate in the offensive, but made a major contribution to the upcoming operation. She so successfully simulated the movement of troops and hid from Egyptian reconnaissance aircraft so unsuccessfully that she inspired the Egyptian command with the idea that the offensive would take place in the same way as in 1956. As a result, the Egyptian tank reserves were urgently shifted to the south. This attempt to parry the false attack significantly prevented them from meeting the real one.
I.148A2C tanks from the 79th Tank Battalion of the 7th Tank Brigade are fighting in the vicinity of Rafah. 1967
The real attack began on June 5, 1967. At exactly 7:00 Israeli time (8:00 Cairo time), 40 aircraft took off from Israeli airfields and flew west, towards the sea. This did not cause any concern at the Egyptian radar station - it was a common thing; the clock could be checked based on the time of this morning flight. Since 1965, flights have followed the same pattern - 40 aircraft departed towards the sea, descended sharply and returned back to their airfields in the Negev. There was no alarm at any of the Egyptian airfields. The Egyptian Air Force was ready for war - fighters on duty stood on the tracks in a 5-minute state of readiness for takeoff. Night patrols last shift already sat down. The day began as usual - with breakfast.
Israeli Defense Minister General Moshe Dayan
Israeli planes dived down and disappeared from radar screens. At exactly 7:45, Egyptian airfields were hit by the first airstrike. The runways were destroyed by concrete-piercing bombs, and the silver planes standing in a row on taxiways (as in the USSR) were destroyed by cannon fire. A total of 332 sorties were made against 19 Egyptian airfields (183 in the first wave, 164 in the second and 85 in the third, in addition, airfields in Jordan, Syria and Iraq were attacked as part of the third wave - another 119 sorties), which was simply an incredibly large number, if you take into account that the entire Israeli combat aviation at that time amounted to 202 aircraft (of which 197 were operational on the morning of June 5), plus 44 Fuga Magister combat training aircraft.
Of the approximately 420 military aircraft of the Egyptian Air Force (of which about 300 were combat), 309 were destroyed, including the entire four squadrons of Tu-16 and Il-28 bombers. The second wave of raids ended around 10:35 - in 170 minutes the Egyptian Air Force ceased to exist!
Israeli ground operations began at 8:30, almost at the same time as air operations - the time factor played such a big role that there was no time to wait for the aircraft to bomb.
AMX-13 tanks and motorized infantry on half-track armored personnel carriers in an Arab town in the Gaza Strip. 1967
The advanced units of the 7th Tank Brigade immediately passed Rafah and moved further along the highway, in the direction of El-Arish. But the tanks that followed them came under fierce fire in a narrow passage between the dunes. Overcoming strong resistance in southern Gaza and Rafah, the paratroopers of the 35th Brigade fought desperately. The Fuga Magister combat training aircraft came to the rescue - they were urgently adapted to the role of light attack aircraft. These aircraft carried only two 7.62 mm machine guns and two 50 kg bombs, but they were very useful in suppressing Egyptian batteries. Egyptian resistance in Rafah was soon broken, and the tank crews of the 7th Brigade rushed to El-Arish. The path here was blocked by fortified anti-tank positions. The first attempt to break through the Egyptian defenses ended in failure. Moreover, this attack turned out to be a complete surprise for the Egyptians - they did not expect such a “shock” rate of advance from General Tal’s tankers. Units of the 7th Brigade succeeded in dislodging the anti-tank units from their positions only after the third attack, at the cost of the loss of 17 “centurions.” However, the Egyptians immediately counterattacked and restored the situation, pushing the Israelis back to their original positions. General Tal personally intervened in the battle; he did not wait for reserves, but made a risky decision: the remaining “centurions” again tried to attack the Arab positions located along the highway, and the M48 battalion bypassed the enemy fortifications from the south along impassable dunes. The tankers completed the assigned task. But at what cost! Without exception, all M48 tanks participating in the attack were hit by shells or mortars, the battalion commander was killed, the chief of staff and the commanders of all three companies were wounded. On the morning of June 6, El Arish was in Israeli hands.
The 31st Division also advanced according to plan. The sands turned out to be not so impassable. The Centurions, however, were in first gear, but still reached the crossroads at which they were aimed. One brigade immediately moved south to help Sharon’s division, and the other intercepted Egyptian tanks (it was the 4th Panzer Division) going to the flank of Tal’s division - they were urgently sent to the rescue of El-Arish. However, having run into Israeli tanks that had come from nowhere near dusk, the Egyptian T-55s suffered losses, and the division commander considered it best to stop to wait for the morning. Overnight, fugitives appeared in the rear of the Egyptian division - Sharon's division neutralized Um Katif in a day, and then took Abu Ageila with a night attack.
The Centurion Shot tank goes on the attack in Sinai. 1967
The success of the offensive was facilitated by the close interaction of all branches of the military. As soon as Egyptian artillery and tanks opened fire, unmasking their positions, Israeli aviation fell on them, since there were practically no enemy planes in the sky. Then the tanks and self-propelled guns in combat formations came into action. The artillerymen's task was reduced not so much to the destruction of specific targets as to the demoralization of the defenders. Self-propelled gun batteries concentrated fire on one target, after some time they transferred fire to another, then to a third. Under the cover of heavy fire, infantry dismounted from M3 armored personnel carriers burst into the trenches and fortified points of the Egyptians.
A battery of 105-mm self-propelled howitzers "TOMAT AMX" (French Mk 61) supports the advancing tanks with fire. Sinai Front, 1967
By the middle of the second day of the war, June 6, the first echelon of the Egyptian defense of Sinai ceased to exist, all fortifications were lost, two divisions (20th and 7th) were completely destroyed, and the third (2nd Infantry) was severely battered. And all this in less than 40 hours of Israeli offensive. Defense capabilities for the Egyptian army still existed - two untouched second-echelon divisions (6th mechanized and 3rd infantry) could be used, there were powerful tank units - the Shazly group and the 4th tank division. The Egyptian general staff intended to continue resistance using the Qahir plan developed before the war. In accordance with it, it was necessary to counterattack the enemy with the forces of the second echelon and impose a counter tank battle on him. But unlike the Israelis, the Egyptian troops did not know how to fight like that, and in addition, since the morning of June 6, they were under the continuous influence of Israeli aviation.
Light tank AMX-13 on the Jordanian front. The fighting here began later than in Sinai
It must be said that the Egyptians did not immediately realize the scale of the catastrophe that befell their army - all day on June 5, Cairo radio broadcast bravura messages about Arab tank divisions allegedly rushing to Tel Aviv and about Israeli soldiers fleeing in panic; crowds of people spontaneously gathered in the streets celebrating the victory. Higher military leadership, aware of the actual state of affairs at the front, did not behave entirely adequately to the situation. So, for example, while Israeli aircraft were ironing Egyptian airfields, Defense Minister Badran went to bed and ordered not to disturb him; Chief of Staff Fauzi ordered the squadrons already destroyed by Israeli aircraft to launch retaliatory strikes against the Israelis; air commander Tzadki Mohammed periodically tried to shoot himself, etc. The defeat of the Egyptian army, deprived of leadership, was thus predetermined, and even the courage of ordinary soldiers on the front line could not change the situation. As Ariel Sharon put it in those days, “The Egyptians are wonderful soldiers: disciplined, tough, but their officers are worthless.” The latter were indeed distinguished by their passivity, lack of initiative, arrogant attitude towards their subordinates and obsequious attitude towards their superiors. In a difficult situation, deprived of further instructions and directions from above, they preferred to flee, abandoning their soldiers to their fate. The Israeli army, on the contrary, cultivated independence in decision-making, resourcefulness and respectful relationships between privates, officers and generals. Israeli officers really led their soldiers into the attack by their own example, so in the IDF the percentage of officers among those killed and wounded was significantly higher than that of the Arabs.
So it is not surprising that no oncoming battle took place - on June 6, the Egyptian high command, over the head of its own general staff, gave the order for a general withdrawal from Sinai.
By the beginning of the Six-Day War, only 10 Shot tanks armed with 20-pound cannons remained in the IDF. They were consolidated into Metzger's company and operated on the Jordanian front.
However, the Egyptian troops had to retreat through the strategic passes of Mitla and Jidi. Anticipating this, General Gavish ordered General Joffe to send tanks into a risky breakthrough in order to cut off the Egyptians from the passes. The brigade of “centurions” moved on a forced march to the Mitla pass, leaving behind tanks along the way that were running out of fuel. A total of nine Centurions reached the Mitla Pass at 18:00 on June 6, with four vehicles running out of fuel and being towed away! A handful of tanks and some motorized infantry on half-track armored personnel carriers dug into the ground at the pass, waiting for the approach of enemy columns. The battle continued all night, and in the morning the “centurions” of another brigade of the 38th division began to approach the pass. At the same time, Israeli aircraft began to attack Egyptian transport columns. Thousands of flaming and simply abandoned cars clogged the roads in the desert. The Egyptian soldiers decided that it would be more convenient to escape on foot. Those of them who were lucky enough to reach the canal on foot swam across to its other side, unconscious from fear.
By mid-day on June 8, all three Israeli divisions had reached the Suez Canal in the areas of Port Fuad, El Qantara, Ismailya and Suez. The Egyptian army in Sinai was finished. The Sinai “blitzkrieg” cost the Israeli army 132 tanks (63 of them were lost forever). Considering the number of armored troops of the Defense Army, the damage is quite significant. In addition, many well-trained tank crews, including officers, were killed. But if the Israeli losses were serious, the Egyptian losses were catastrophic. Of the 935 tanks and self-propelled guns, more than 820 were destroyed and captured as trophies: 291 T-54A, 82 T-55, 251 T-34-85, 72 IS-3M, approximately 50 Shermans, 29 PT-76 and 51 SU -100 and, in addition, several hundred armored personnel carriers.
The 14 Panhard AML-90 armored vehicles received for testing were in service with the Duhifat company. Jordan Front, 1967
It should be noted that the Israeli plan provided for active actions only in the Sinai; on the Northern and Central fronts, troops were ordered not to take any actions other than defensive ones. However, the Jordanians asked for it themselves. On the morning of June 5, King Hussein gave the order to begin military action against Israel.
AMX-13 tank during combat operations on the Jordanian front, 1967
The commander of the Central Front, General Uzi Narkis, found himself in a very difficult situation. It had four reserve brigades (4th, 5th and 16th Infantry and 10th Mechanized), a separate tank battalion, a company of Centurion tanks and a company of AML90 armored vehicles. In total there are more than 100 tanks (mostly Sherman) and 270 artillery pieces and heavy mortars. The tanks could only be touched as a last resort, since they could be requested to the Sinai, at the disposal of the Southern Front.
Meanwhile, Jordanian heavy artillery came into action - two batteries of long-range 155-mm American guns. One opened fire on the suburbs of Tel Aviv, the second on the largest airbase in northern Israel, Ramat David airfield. Jordanian Hunter fighters attacked Israeli airfields. The machine-gun fire in Jerusalem gradually turned into an artillery duel. The Arab Legion - as the Jordanian army was called from old memory - attacked the demarcation line in Jerusalem with the aim of occupying enclaves in the demilitarized zones. King Hussein did not listen to the persuasion of the Israeli government, conveyed to it through the UN, not to start a war. He believed that a limited offensive would not provoke too strong a reaction. However, 6 thousand heavy shells fired at Jerusalem seemed excessive to the Israelis. In the city, 900 houses were damaged, more than a thousand people were injured, and 20 were killed.
At 12:30, Israeli planes attacked both Jordanian military airfields - in Amman and Mafraq. In two steps they destroyed runways and all the planes. Jordan was left without an air force.
By mid-afternoon, King Hussein's mood had completely deteriorated. The active actions of his army in Jerusalem caused a response much stronger than what he had expected. The Israeli command decided that the movement of the Jordanians was a prelude to the general offensive of their army, and they had 7 infantry and 2 tank (40th and 60th) brigades in Judea and Samaria (“West Bank”), plus an Iraqi brigade (8th mechanized). In addition, there were 2 separate tank battalions, 2 Egyptian commando battalions, a “Palestinian battalion”, and in total up to 300 tanks and 190 artillery pieces. A concentrated strike from these forces could cut Israel in two. And it was quite a serious threat. One only needs to look at a map of Israel (preferably with the armistice demarcation line established by the 1949 and 1950 agreements) to see that at its narrowest point, Jordan was separated from Mediterranean Sea only 14 km of Israeli territory. Why, from the farthest point - Jerusalem - it was only 50 km. To improve perception - from Domodedovo to Khimki, if in a straight line through Moscow, 60 km! Moscow from north to south within the Moscow Ring Road - 39.5 km! Together with Butovo and Khimki it would fit exactly between Jerusalem and the sea! But let’s not scare the Jews; no one is going to move Moscow to Israel, especially with Butovo and Khimki. All this is said only so that the reader understands in what insignificantly small territory the events described took place. Let's return to the Six Day War.
Paratroopers of the 55th Brigade at the Jewish shrine: the Western Wall of the Second Temple - the Wall of the Plan. Emotional condition the soldier needs no comment (in 1947–1967, Jewish access to the Western Wall was prohibited by the Jordanian authorities)
Since the battle in Sinai was generally successful, and the Syrians showed no signs of life other than shelling Israeli villages, it was decided to act. The Northern Front allocated two brigades (37th Tank and 45th Mechanized) and loaned them to the Central Front, and they immediately launched an attack on Jenin, in Samaria. The 9th Infantry Brigade was added to them, and thus the 36th Division was formed under the command of General Elad Peled.
The 10th Mechanized Brigade (a mixed battalion of Shermans and Centurions and an AMX-13 battalion) under Colonel Uri Ben-Ari, a hero of the 1956 war, moved towards Jerusalem and bypassed the city from the north. To stop the advance of the Israeli units, the Jordanians tried to organize a counterattack along the Ramallah-Jerusalem highway with the forces of the 60th Tank Brigade, armed with M48 tanks, supported by infantry on the M113 armored personnel carrier. On the march, the brigade was bombed by Israeli aircraft, and then it was met by tanks of the 10th Israeli brigade. A fierce battle broke out with the participation of more than 100 Shermans, Centurions and Pattons. At the same time, for example, the Shermans in relation to the M48 were, without a doubt, outdated tanks. But they were stronger armed, since in the Ben-Ari brigade all the Shermans were modifications of the M51. So the tanks of the Defense Army had fire superiority. However, the battle was fierce. For several hours, both sides could neither withdraw the surviving tanks from the battle nor bring in reinforcements, since the road was filled with broken equipment that could not be pulled away due to the incessant shelling. The salvation for the Israelis was a battalion of 120-mm mortars mounted on half-track armored personnel carriers. The mortar men managed to organize a continuous curtain of fire and knock out 22 Jordanian M48s trying to break through to the battlefield. The loss of vehicles that had not yet seen combat undermined the morale of the Arabs. By the morning of June 6, only 6 tanks remained in the 60th brigade.
Shermans 1,150 are fighting on the Golan Heights. A damaged AMX-13 is visible in the background
The covert attack by Egyptian commandos against the Israeli Lod airbase, carried out from Jordanian territory, also ended in failure. The Egyptians were spotted in a wheat field. The commander of the local defense did not have artillery, but he did have matches. The field was set on fire. Of the 600 commandos, no more than 150 survived.
In 1967, old enemies met on the Golan Heights - Shermans and Panzer IVs. The latter were used by the Syrians mainly as fixed firing points
On the night of June 6, Colonel Mordechai Gur's 55th Parachute Brigade attacked Jordanian positions in northern Jerusalem. A furious hand-to-hand fight broke out on Arsenalnaya Hill. Here the Jordanians fought with particular tenacity until every last one died. The paratroopers also suffered heavy losses. On the morning of June 7, paratroopers attacked the Old City, which had been in Jordanian hands since 1948. By 10:00, the Israelis reached the Jewish shrine - the Western Wall.
On the same day, the Defense Army occupied Nablus, Hebron and Bethlehem. By the end of June 8, the Israelis reached the Jordan River. The ratio of tank losses on the Jordanian front was 112 vehicles for the Israelis versus 179 for the Jordanians.
By June 9, the fifth day, the war seemed over. Egypt, Israel and Jordan agreed to a ceasefire. The truce was also accepted by Syria, but with the caveat that “it will only come into force when Israel does the same.” In the meantime, Syrian guns continued to fire from the Golan Heights. The Syrians might well have gotten away with this if the USSR representative to the UN, Fedorenko, had not suddenly stood his ground and began insisting on the inclusion of additional articles in the truce resolution, demanding “condemnation of Israel for aggression and the withdrawal of its troops to their initial positions.” As a result, the resolution did not pass, the meeting was postponed, and this circumstance cost Syria very dearly. Dayan decided to take advantage of the opportunity and canceled his own “strict order not to attack the Golan.”
AMX-13 tanks at an Israeli checkpoint on the Sinai Peninsula shortly after the end of the Six-Day War
The offensive unfolded in mountainous terrain, and bulldozers had to be deployed in front of the Centurions and Shermans to create passages. The losses of both tanks and tractors from Syrian fire, as well as from mines, were very high at first. For example, in one of the battalions of the 8th Tank Brigade there were only three Shermans left on the move. The more powerful “centurions” also suffered. However, by the end of the first day, the Syrian defenses on the Golan Heights were broken through. On the same day, the UN Security Council decided on a ceasefire, which came into force on June 10 at 19:30. The Syrian front was the only one where the ratio of tank losses was not in favor of Israel - more than 80 tanks and self-propelled guns were destroyed by the Israelis (73 T-34-85, Pz.IV and T-54; seven SU-100 and several StuG III) and 160 - Syrians. Considering that Israeli troops had to storm a well-equipped defense line based on the heights dominating the terrain, this result is not surprising.
This war got its name because it lasted only six days: from Monday June 5 to Saturday June 10, 1967.
Six Day War in Sinai (Egyptian Front)
Among the Arab countries, Egypt had the most powerful air force - all of the latest Soviet aircraft. It possessed 45 Tu-16 medium bombers capable of attacking Israeli military and civilian targets. However, the Egyptians' defense infrastructure was relatively weak, and they did not have bunkers to protect their air force in the event of an attack.
On Monday, June 5, 1967, the Jews launched Operation Moked (Focus). At 7:45 am, flying over the Mediterranean at a very low altitude to avoid radar, Israeli aircraft attacked Egypt. The timing of the attack was specially calculated: most of the Egyptian fighters and their pilots were already on the ground at that time after the first morning patrol. The Israelis appeared over enemy territory not from the east, where it was natural to expect them, but from the north and west - having made a preliminary “detour” over the Mediterranean Sea.
Six Day War. Battle for the Sinai Peninsula. Video
All Israeli combat aircraft were involved in Operation Focus, with the exception of only 12 interceptors left to protect their own airspace. In 500 sorties, the Israelis destroyed 309 of 340 Egyptian warplanes. The success exceeded all the expectations of Israeli strategists who had long ago developed this plan. Jewish losses amounted to only 19 aircraft - and mainly due to technical reasons. This gave the Israeli Air Force complete dominance of the skies for the entire duration of the Six-Day War. It predetermined the complete victory of the Jews in it.
Egypt has long lived under conditions of censorship and propaganda. By the evening of the first day of the Six-Day War, the situation of the Egyptian troops had become catastrophic, but local radio announced major victories and assured that the attacking Israeli planes had been shot down. The people were triumphant. In Cairo, crowds took to the streets to “celebrate the victory,” which was considered already assured. The Israeli army advanced, and the Egyptian generals preferred to hide its defeat from President Nasser himself. In Israel, the radio broadcast only the announcement of the beginning of the war, without naming the winner. The only TV channel in Israel was Egyptian, and the Jewish population believed that their country was close to disaster.
Taking advantage of air superiority, the Israeli army attacked Egyptian troops in the Sinai. Without air support, they were unable to resist. Senior officers could not even organize an orderly retreat.
On June 8, the Israeli army completed the conquest of the entire Sinai. That evening, Egypt accepted a ceasefire agreement.
Six-Day War in the West Bank (Jordanian Front).
Israel cut off the Jordanian King Hussein from sources of truthful information. Listening to the boastful statements of the Egyptian media, Hussein believed in Nasser's victory. The Jordanian army began shelling Israel from the east and occupied the UN headquarters in Jerusalem on June 5.
Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Dayan, given the ease with which his troops advanced in Sinai, recalled part of them to Jerusalem. Israeli aircraft destroyed the Jordanian Air Force. Until now, only the western part of Jerusalem was in Jewish hands, but on Wednesday, June 7, Israeli paratroopers surrounded and took control of this entire city and the entire West Bank. According to the Jewish calendar, this date was designated as the 28th day of the month of Iyar, 5727. Since then, it has been celebrated annually as “Jerusalem Day.”
Generals Yitzhak Rabin, Moshe Dayan and Uzi Narkis in Jerusalem, 1967
Six-Day War on the Golan Heights (Syrian Front)
Until Friday, June 9, 1967, fighting on the border between Israel and Syria was limited to bombing. But on June 9, after intercepting a telegram that convinced him that the Soviet Union did not intend to intervene in the war, Moshe Dayan decided to send the Israeli army to conquer the Golan Heights, a very important strategic position for Israel. Syria was an ally of the Soviet Union, and the Israeli army had only a few hours of time - after which the USSR and the USA would inevitably force it to a ceasefire.
On June 9, the fighting proceeded with varying success: the Syrians lost their forward positions by the evening, but the Israeli advance remained shallow. However, on June 10, the Syrian headquarters, fearing an Israeli outflank through the Lebanese Bekaa Valley, ordered its troops to withdraw from the Golan Heights and build a defense line around Damascus. The Israeli army rushed into the vacated space. There was such a commotion among the Syrians that their radio announced the fall of Quneitra at 8:45 am, although the first Israeli troops approached this city only after noon.
In the face of this development, Brezhnev began to threaten the United States with direct military intervention. The two superpowers imposed a ceasefire on Syria and Israel, which came into force on the evening of June 10, ending the Six Day War.
Six Day War at Sea
8 June 1967 Israeli Navy attacked the American ship Liberty, who was collecting intelligence off the coast of the country. 34 crew members of this ship were killed. The Israeli government later stated that this very serious incident happened “by mistake.” But, according to another version, the Liberty was attacked by the Israelis deliberately - to prevent the United States from detecting the transfer of Israeli troops to the Galilee in anticipation of the capture of the Golan Heights.
Israeli saboteur divers sent to the harbors of Port Said and Alexandria were unable to damage a single ship there. In Alexandria, six of them were captured.
Israel before and after the Six Day War. Map. The Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip, West Bank and Golan Heights are captured
UN Security Council Resolution 242
Soon after the end of the Six Day War UN Security Council adopted resolution No. 242 (dated November 22, 1967). She called for “the establishment of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East." The first of its principles was the “withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from territories occupied during the recent conflict.” However, they immediately mentioned “recognition of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of each state in the area,” which contradicted the views of the Arabs, who did not consider the very existence of Israel legitimate. In the further development of the Middle East conflict, each side sought to see in the contradictory Resolution No. 242 a meaning beneficial only to itself.
The conflict between Egypt and Israel had been brewing long before the events of June 1967. It was this time that became a turning point in the history of Israel. The Six Day War lasted from June 5 to 10 and brought unexpected results to both sides.
The Egyptian President prepared for military action in advance. On May 22, he issued a decree closing all sea routes to Israeli ships, thereby violating more than one international agreement. In response to such steps, under international law, Israel could have launched military action, but did not do so. Such silence was perceived by Egypt as a sign of weakness and strengthened its belief in its own superiority. The ensuing six-day war was inevitable.
From that moment on, President Gamal Abdelem Nasser's statements contained threats against Israelis and promises to erase their state from the world map. The threats were reinforced by the signing of an alliance with states bordering Israel. An army was being formed on Jordanian territory.
The atmosphere became tense and sowed panic among the peaceful Government, represented by Prime Minister Levi Eshkol, could not calm and inspire the people. All men from 18 to 55 were called up for military service. The war in Israel promised to be short.
The Israeli government did not wait for direct military action from the Arabs and was the first to strike at the enemy. On June 5, the Israeli air force destroyed all Egyptian combat aircraft and caused serious damage to Syrian aircraft. At the request of the Prime Minister of Israel, UN representatives asked not to enter the war and were refused.
Full-scale hostilities began. The loss of the air force was a big blow to Nasser's pride. Israeli intelligence services were able to record a conversation between Nasser and King Hussein in which they discussed telling the public that American and British aircraft were participating in the hostilities along with Israeli aircraft. After such a statement, all Arab countries broke off diplomatic relations with the United States. A week later, King Hussein apologized for the lie. This is likely due to the fact that the recording of the conversation was made public.
Israeli troops acted quickly. They quickly took possession of the Sinai Peninsula, Judea and Samaria. The most difficult was the battle for the Golan Heights. However, by June 10, Israel had captured them too.
The Six Day War claimed the lives of 679 Jews. For a small country, the losses were enormous. Despite this, the entire Jewish world rejoiced.
New borders were drawn, almost quadrupling Israel's territory. Despite the resounding victory, Israel's main task was to establish peace. He was ready to return part of the conquered territories in exchange for signing a peace agreement so that the war would end as quickly as possible. Israel was committed to peace.
However, the Arab countries did not agree to this and relations between the countries only worsened. A few months later, the heads of Arab countries met and declared a categorical no to peace with the Jews and refusal to recognize their state.
The Six-Day War affected not only the life of the Jewish state itself, but also representatives of this people living in other countries. The heroism and courage of the soldiers shown during the war filled the hearts of all Jews with pride and joy. American Jews sent huge sums money before, during and after the war to support the army and civilians. Citizens of different countries began to join the ranks of the Jewish organization “United Jewish Appeal”. The number of young participants has especially increased.
Descendants of Jews, who had already begun to forget about their roots, began to increasingly come to Israel.
Why the Israeli army managed to win the Six Day War
The “Six Day War” (June 5–10, 1967) in the Middle East has largely become a household name. This term in a broad sense began to mean a crushing, quick defeat of a formally more powerful enemy. In a narrow sense, the successful implementation of the tactics of the first disarming strike on enemy airfields, providing the attacking side with air superiority leading to victory on the ground.
Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Jordan at the beginning of the war had a total of up to 700 combat aircraft, Israel - about 300. On the first day of the war, the Arabs lost at airfields and in air battles, according to various sources, from 360 to 420 aircraft, Israel (in air battles and from ground air defense) - from 18 to 44 aircraft. The difference, of course, is colossal, but still the Arab Air Forces did not cease to exist (at least the Egyptian, Syrian, and Jordanian ones were completely destroyed). Even if we take the worst loss values for them, by the morning of the second day of the war, the sides had approximately quantitative equality in aviation. However, although isolated air battles took place before 9 June, the Israelis gained complete air supremacy. This was explained by the much better flight and combat training of Israeli pilots, a more advanced aviation control system, as well as the severe psychological shock of the Arabs from the defeat of June 5.
Air superiority, of course, greatly contributed to the Israeli victory on the ground, although it was not an easy ride. During the first two days of the war, the Egyptian 6th Motorized Infantry Division even managed to penetrate 10 km into Israeli territory. Nevertheless, air supremacy, a higher level of combat training and initiative of the Israeli armed forces compared to the Arab ones did their job. In addition, the Egyptian leadership fell into panic. On the morning of June 6, the commander-in-chief, General Amer, gave his troops in Sinai the order to retreat. Naturally, this retreat, in the face of continuous Israeli attacks from land and air, very quickly turned into a flight and a complete disaster. The fighting in Sinai ended on the morning of June 9, the Egyptians lost from 10 to 15 thousand people. killed and up to 5 thousand prisoners, up to 800 tanks (291 T-54, 82 T-55, 251 T-34/85, 72 IS-3M, 29 PT-76, up to 50 Shermans), great amount other armored vehicles. Moreover, the Israelis captured a significant part of the Egyptian tanks and armored personnel carriers in perfect working order. There were so many trophies that, despite the lack of Soviet spare parts, the practical Israelis accepted them into service (including 81 T-54 and 49 T-55), replacing the weapons and engines with Western ones. Some examples of that equipment still serve Israel today. In particular, the very successful Akhzarit armored personnel carrier was created on the T-54/T-55 chassis, which was actively used in the 2006 Lebanese war. Israel itself lost 120 tanks in Sinai - less than it captured.
In parallel, there were battles between Israel and Jordan for Jerusalem and the West Bank, and these battles were distinguished by exceptional tenacity. So, on June 6, the Jordanians even surrounded an Israeli tank battalion, but failed to destroy it. Once again the superior level of Israeli training and initiative and air supremacy prevailed. In addition, the Jordanian Armed Forces were the smallest of all the Arab armies involved in this war, making them the most difficult to resist the Jews. The sides' losses in armored vehicles turned out to be quite close (about 200 tanks for Jordan, a little over 100 for Israel). Here fighting ended on June 7, the Arabs were driven back beyond the Jordan. The Jews took revenge for the defeats of 1948 by recapturing Latrun and the Old City of Jerusalem.
Syria “philosophically,” that is, without doing anything, watched as Israel crushed its allies, and, of course, waited for its time, which came on June 9. At noon, Israeli troops began their assault on the Golan Heights. For them, this part of the war was the most difficult, since the terrain was on the side of the Arabs. Even according to their own data, the Israelis lost twice as many tanks here as the Syrians - 160 versus 80 (interestingly, the Syrian army had both T-34/85 and German StuG III). However, the Jews stormed the heights, already knowing that they would win; the Syrians defended themselves, already knowing that they would lose. At 18.30 on June 10, an official ceasefire took place.
The Arabs lost at least 1,100 tanks, from 380 to 450 combat aircraft (including up to 60 in air battles), and up to 40 thousand people killed and captured. Israeli losses amounted to about 400 tanks (Centurion, Sherman and M48), 45 aircraft (12 of them in air battles), up to 1 thousand people killed.
Sherman tank on the road between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, 1967. Photo: AFP/East News
In 6 days, Israel managed to radically change the balance of power in the Middle East. He defeated the armies of all three Arab countries bordering him (the fourth - Lebanon - was not taken into account due to its weakness), and suffered especially heavy losses main opponent- Egypt. Even more important was the fact that it had now become very favorable geographical position Israel. As of the morning of June 5, the Arabs had the theoretical ability to cut it in half in less than an hour (at its narrowest point, from the border with Jordan to the Mediterranean coast there was only 15 km of Israeli territory). On the evening of June 10, the Jewish state was reliably protected from the north by the Golan Heights, from the east by the Jordan River, from the southwest by the Suez Canal, as well as by the Sinai Peninsula and the Negev Desert. The Israeli leadership was confident that it had ensured the security of its country for at least 20–25 years. In 1970, the geopolitical situation became even more favorable for him after Jordan de facto withdrew from the anti-Israeli front due to the conflict with the Palestinians and Syria behind them.
The Six-Day War was a triumph for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF in its Hebrew acronym). To this day, the IDF remains the best living refutation of the Anglo-Saxon thesis (which was very fond of many Russians) about the advantages of a “professional”, that is, a mercenary army. The Israeli army is, one might say, the most conscript army in the world; even women are drafted into it; no alternative service is provided for (it is “carried out” in prison). However, it is different the highest level combat training, excellent living conditions for military personnel, and the absence of hazing. The well-known explanation for this phenomenon, which is that “Israel is surrounded by enemies,” is completely meaningless. The fact of being surrounded by enemies, of course, requires the presence of a conscript army (in general, the principle of manning the armed forces of any country is determined by what tasks they face, and nothing more), but it has nothing to do with the internal structure of the army and the quality of training of personnel.
From a political point of view, Israel's behavior in June '67 was certainly aggression. At the same time, it should be noted that before the start of the war, anti-Israeli rhetoric in Arab countries entered the stage of outright hysteria and Tel Aviv could interpret it as preparation for aggression against it. Given the Arabs' significant military and geographic advantage, it would place Israel in extreme danger. difficult situation, so he decided to launch a preemptive strike and remind them that winners are not judged. Of course, hysterical rhetoric is very often intended only for internal consumption. However, the external objects of hysterical rhetoric are not at all obliged to understand that this is all “make-believe.” The Arabs simply “responsible for the bazaar,” which was fair. If you can’t fight, sit and be silent.
As the past four decades have shown, the Six Day War became highest point Israeli successes. After that, the retreats began. Moreover, their inevitability was laid down by this war itself. The Arabs, having lost territory, received a legal justification for their anti-Semitism. The Israelis, having captured the West Bank of Jordan and the Gaza Strip, received an absolutely hostile Palestinian population inside the country, which, as it now turns out, thanks to the incomparably higher birth rate, can very soon surpass the Jewish population in numbers. As a result, the immediate improvement in the strategic position became the most powerful bomb delayed action under the Jewish state.
The Arab armies have long ceased to risk getting involved in battle with the IDF. But with the “basic instinct” the Arabs are fine. Demographics today turn out to be much stronger than traditional ones. Militarily null Palestine is gradually achieving what heavily armed Egypt and Syria failed to do.
Six Day War 1967 Israeli tank crews
The events preceding the war developed rapidly. The Arab countries, believing in their enormous numerical superiority and receiving tens of billions of dollars worth of weapons from the USSR, seriously hoped to destroy the Jewish state with the support of the USSR. The USSR openly provoked the Arabs to unleash aggression against Israel, thus hoping to assert its hegemony over the strategically important Middle East.
The turning point on the road to the Six Day War occurred on May 11, 1967. when Russian representatives handed over to the Egyptians a fake fabricated in Moscow about a large-scale war allegedly being prepared by Israel. The Russian-fabricated “document” claimed that the IDF had amassed troops on the northern border to overthrow the ruling regime in Syria.
The Israeli government immediately refuted this provocative fake, inviting the Soviet ambassador to Israel to personally verify the absence of Israeli troops on the Syrian border. However Soviet ambassador D. Chuvakin rejected this proposal.
Evgeny Pyrlin, in those days the head of the Egyptian department of the Soviet Ministry of Foreign Affairs, subsequently explained the Soviet actions this way: “We then believed that even if our side - the Egyptians - did not win, the war would give us political benefits, since the Egyptians would demonstrate their ability to fight with our weapons and with our military and political support."
The Arabs used the Russian fake as a basis for transferring Egyptian troops to the Sinai Peninsula, which gave Egypt direct access to the Israeli borders and, just as important, to the Straits of Tiran leading to the Israeli port of Eilat.
This was a flagrant violation of UN decisions that declared the Sinai Peninsula a demilitarized zone in which only UN forces were stationed.
Egypt demanded the withdrawal of UN forces from Sinai, which was immediately carried out under pressure from the USSR on the UN Security Council: general secretary UN U Thant unexpectedly ordered the removal of UN forces from the Sinai, thereby opening the way for Arab armies to the borders of Israel.
In fact, the Russians in every possible way pushed the Arabs to start a “hot” war against Israel.
On May 14, columns of Egyptian infantry and armor crossed the Suez Canal and occupied the Sinai Peninsula, blocking the Strait of Tiran from the passage of Israeli ships. This was an act of unprovoked declaration of war on Israel.
Feverish consultations began at the UN, but Russian representative Nikolai Fedorenko opposed any proposal to lift the blockade. His Canadian and Danish colleagues bluntly told Mr. Fedorenko: “There is an unpleasant feeling that the USSR is playing a game that allows the escalation of the crisis in order to force Israel to act.” The USSR Ambassador to Israel Chuvakin, in conversations with colleagues, predicted the sad fate awaiting the Jewish state.
On May 17, a new act of aggression followed - 2 Russian MiGs with Egyptian markings flew over Israeli territory - from the east (from Jordan) to the west. Their flight passed directly over the Israeli nuclear center in Dimona.
Spy satellites, as well as conventional intelligence services, provided the USSR with accurate data regarding the facility in Dimona. In light of the fact that intelligence cooperation between the USSR and Egypt was very close in those years, it is obvious that the USSR passed information about the Israeli reactor to Egypt.
Moscow was feverishly looking for ways to destroy the Israeli nuclear center - completely “unnecessary”, according to the Soviet leadership. The former head of the Middle East department of the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador at Large Oleg Grinevsky, said in an interview: “Our intelligence had the ability to reliable information regarding Israel's nuclear capabilities. There is information that one of the reasons Egypt launched the Six-Day War was the desire to strike Israel before that country could use nuclear weapons. In Egypt’s military plans, Dimona was listed as one of the main targets.”
On May 22, Nasser closed the Strait of Tiran in the Red Sea to Israeli shipping, which was a “casus belli” for Israel.
On May 26, the Egyptian President said “if war breaks out, it will be total and its goal will be the destruction of Israel.”
The Arabs and Russians were already anticipating their victory and the massacre of the Israelis. The bloc led by Egypt, backed by the USSR, was joined one after another by Arab countries that sent their troops to the war against Israel: Syria, Iraq, Kuwait, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Morocco. On May 30, Jordan joined this bloc.
Arab countries deployed hundreds of thousands of well-equipped soldiers, 700 combat aircraft and about 2,000 tanks along Israel's borders.
The USSR concentrated over 30 surface vessels and 10 submarines, including nuclear submarines, in the Mediterranean Sea. On each of more than 30 Soviet ships, landing groups were formed, which, according to the plans of the Soviet command, were to land on the coast of Israel...
Now Israel was surrounded on all sides by the armies of warlike Arab countries and the USSR, ready to strike at the Jewish state.
Israel was clearly aware of the impending threat. A war on three fronts has become a reality. In Tel Aviv alone, up to 10 thousand victims of the bombing were expected; city squares and parks were consecrated as cemeteries.
On May 23, general mobilization began in the country: about 220 thousand people were mobilized into the army, organized into 21 brigades - 5 armored, 4 mechanized, 3 paratroopers and 9 infantry.
Israeli paratroopers. 1967
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Meeting of General Staff special forces officers
Reservists
Pilots
The IDF included 275 thousand people, about 1000 tanks, 450 aircraft and 26 warships.
The following strike force groups were created: Sinai direction (Southern Front) - 8 brigades, 600 tanks and 220 combat aircraft, personnel - 70 thousand people;
Damascus direction (Northern Front) - 5 brigades, about 100 tanks, 330 artillery units, up to 70 combat aircraft, personnel - about 50 thousand people;
Amman direction (Central Front) - 7 brigades, 220 tanks and self-propelled guns, up to 400 artillery pieces, 25 combat aircraft, 35 thousand people. personnel.
Officers discussing intelligence
On the evening of June 1, Moshe Dayan was appointed to the post of Israeli Defense Minister. The appointment of this fighting general meant that Israel was ready for all-out war.
Defense Minister Moshe Dayan 
Chief of the General Staff General Yitzhak Rabin 
Air Force Commander General Mordechai Hod (right)
The Six Day War began on June 5, 1967. Israel launched a preemptive strike against Arab countries complicit in the aggression.
At 07.45 the Israeli Air Force attacked along the entire front. Their plan of action was to seize absolute air supremacy - to strike air bases and destroy all enemy combat aircraft on the ground. The destruction of the enemy air force completely freed the hands of the Israeli Ground Forces, ready to strike fatal blows against the enemy's ground forces that are many times larger in number.
Israeli planes attack enemy ground forces
The Israeli Air Force used completely new tactical solutions that surprised the enemy. Instead of flying straight at their targets, the first wave of Israeli planes flew out to sea, turned around, and approached from the west at low altitude, over the crests of the waves—not at all from the direction from which the Egyptians had expected attacks.
After the first strike, which came as a complete surprise to the Arabs because their radar and communications were blinded, Israeli planes returned to the airfields to refuel and hang weapons and went into battle again. In less than two days, with a fairly small number of aircraft, the Israeli Air Force flew about 1,100 sorties, many pilots flying 8 to 10 sorties a day.
Having destroyed 300 of 320 Egyptian aircraft, the Israelis immediately moved on to destroy the air forces of other Arab states. After crushing strikes, the air forces of Iraq, Jordan and Syria were also destroyed. In air battles, Israeli pilots shot down another sixty enemy aircraft.
Paratrooper Colonel Rafael Eitan (future chief of the General Staff) and tanker general Israel Tal (future creator of the Merkava tank)
On the morning of June 5, Israeli navy ships carried out demonstrative shelling of Alexandria and Port Said. The attack by Israeli warships, which complemented the continuous air strikes, achieved one important goal: it prevented the naval bombardment of Tel Aviv by missiles with a range of 35 miles, equipped with 1,000-pound warheads. These missiles were equipped with 18 Russian missile boats transferred by the USSR to Egypt. The next morning, June 6, the Arabs, fearful of Israeli strikes, hastily withdrew their fleet from Port Said to Alexandria, putting Tel Aviv out of missile range.
After gaining air supremacy, the IDF began a ground operation. The Six Day War of 1967 was a true triumph for Israeli armored forces.
For the first time, Israeli tank formations operated simultaneously on three fronts. They were opposed many times superior forces seven Arab states, but this did not save the Arabs from total defeat.
On the southern front, the attack was carried out by the forces of three tank divisions of generals Tal, Sharon and Joffe. In the offensive operation, called the “March through Sinai,” Israeli tank formations, interacting with aviation, motorized infantry and paratroopers, made a lightning-fast breakthrough of the enemy’s defenses and moved through the desert, destroying the encircled Arab groups. A brigade of paratroopers was the first to break into the city of Sharm el-Sheikh on the Red Sea. The paratroopers were the first to reach the Suez Canal, ahead of the tank units.
On the northern front, the airborne brigade stormed enemy fortifications on Mount Hermon and secured the capture of the Golan Heights. The 36th Panzer Division of General Peled advanced along difficult mountain paths, and after three days of fierce fighting reached the outskirts of Damascus.
On the eastern front, heavy fighting broke out for eastern Jerusalem. The paratroopers under the command of Colonel Mota Gur had to overcome fierce enemy resistance, hand-to-hand fighting took place for every house.
Fight in Jerusalem
The situation was complicated by a command ban on the use of heavy equipment in battle so as not to cause damage to the religious shrines of Jerusalem. Finally, on June 7, a blue and white flag with the Star of David hoisted over the Temple Mount and Colonel Gur said over the radio the words that went down in Israeli history: “The Temple Mount is in our hands! I repeat, we have taken the Temple Mount! I am standing near the Mosque of Omar, at the very Wall of the Temple!”
Paratroopers at the Western Wall of the Temple
By June 12, 1967 the active phase of the fighting was over. The IDF won a complete victory over the troops of Egypt, Syria and Jordan. Israeli troops captured the entire Sinai Peninsula (with access to the eastern coast of the Suez Canal) and the Gaza region from Egypt, the west bank of the Jordan River and the eastern sector of Jerusalem from Jordan, and the Golan Heights from Syria. An area of 70 thousand square meters came under Israeli control. km with a population of more than 1 million people.
Generals Dayan, Rabin and Ze'evi (Gandhi) in the liberated Old City of Jerusalem
Arab losses during 6 days of fighting, according to the British Institute for Strategic Studies, amounted to: 70 thousand people. killed, wounded and captured, about 1200 tanks (mostly Russian-made)
Arab losses were catastrophic. Of the 935 tanks available in Sinai at the beginning of hostilities, Egypt lost more than 820: 291 T-54, 82 T-55, 251 T-34-85, 72 IS-3M, 51 SU-100, 29 PT-76, and about 50 Sherman and M4/FL10., more than 2500 armored personnel carriers and trucks, more than 1000 artillery barrels.
100 tanks were captured in full working order and with unspent ammunition, and about 200 with minor damage.
The losses of the Arab air forces amounted to more than 400 combat aircraft:
MIG-21 - 140, MIG-19 - 20, MIG-15/17 - 110, Tu-16 - 34, Il-28 - 29, Su-7 - 10, AN-12 - 8, Il-14 - 24, MI4 - 4, MI6 - 8, Hunter -30
In the hands of a soldier is an 82-mm Israeli-made “Super Bazooka”, official name MARNAT-82-mm 
About 90% of all military equipment enemy, often in perfect working order, all the reserves of ammunition, fuel, equipment generously supplied by the USSR to the Arabs - all this went to Israel as trophies.
Captured Russian armored vehicles captured from the Arabs at a parade in Jerusalem.
Israel lost 679 people killed, 61 tanks, 48 aircraft.
The Six-Day War was not a random impromptu carried out due to existing external threats to the Jewish state. The preparation and planning of the grandiose military operation carried out during the Six-Day War was carried out by the IDF General Staff for many years.
On the eve of the war, Deputy Chief of the General Staff General Chaim Barlev, with soldierly candor, expressed his opinion on the course of the upcoming military operations: “We will fuck them (Arabs and Russians) hard, quickly and elegantly.” The general's forecast was completely confirmed.
The “father” of planning the Six-Day War was the chief of the operational department of the General Staff in the 50s. Major General Yuval Ne'eman, a man undoubtedly brilliant - along with brilliant military career he is a world-renowned theoretical physicist whose research in particle physics has earned him a number of prestigious awards and nearly secured him Nobel Prize in physics. (physicist Yuval Ne'eman discovered the omega-minus particle, but the Nobel Committee rejected his candidacy, apparently because of his general rank)
Israeli Air Force Commander General Mordechai Hod said at the time: “Sixteen years of planning were reflected in these exciting eighty hours. We lived by this plan, we went to bed and ate thinking about it. And finally we did it."
Israel's victory in the Six-Day War predetermined the development of events in the world and the Middle East for many years to come, and finally destroyed the hopes of the Arabs and their Russian allies for the destruction of the Jewish state
At 5.08 a female officer appears in the frame. This is the daughter of General Moshe Dayan, Lieutenant Yael Dayan
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