Editing Six-Day War (section)

=== Golan Heights ===
[[File:1967 Six Day War - Battle of Golan Heights.svg|thumb|upright=1.35|The Battle of Golan Heights, 9–10 June.]]

In May–June 1967, in preparation for conflict, the Israeli government planned to confine the confrontation to the Egyptian front, whilst taking into account the possibility of some fighting on the Syrian front.<ref name="Shlaim2000p243" />

==== Syrian front 5–8 June ====
Syria largely stayed out of the conflict for the first four days.<ref name=Shlaim9293>{{harvp|Shlaim|Louis|2012|pp=92–93}}: "Except for some sporadic Syrian shelling of Israeli settlements along the border, Syria stayed pretty much out of the war for the first four days... the Syrians were confused by what they slowly learned was the scale of the destruction on the Egyptian front. They were astounded. They did not understand what was going on, nor did they have the military experience and capability, especially in the officer corps, to react to the new situation. With no air support, how could they move forward against Israel? They reasoned that if they sat tight, they could emerge from this with little damage."</ref><ref>{{harvp|Mutawi|2002|p=182|ps=: "When it came to war, Syria stood aside despite its defence pact with Egypt, while Israel overran Gaza, Sinai and the West Bank. Throughout the critical days between 5 and 8 June 1967, the Egyptian political and military leadership begged Syria to fulfil its commitments and to support Jordan's efforts, but it refused to respond even though Jordan had entered the war in the belief that it would be supported by Syria and Egypt."}}</ref>

False Egyptian reports of a crushing victory against the Israeli army<ref name=npr>{{Cite web |url= https://www.npr.org/news/specials/mideast/history/history4.html |title= Part 4: The 1967 Six Day War |website= [[NPR]] |access-date= 20 April 2011 |url-status=live |archive-date= 11 May 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110511205043/http://www.npr.org/news/specials/mideast/history/history4.html}}</ref> and forecasts that Egyptian forces would soon be attacking [[Tel Aviv]] influenced Syria's decision to enter the war – in a sporadic manner – during this period.<ref name=Shlaim9293/> Syrian artillery began shelling northern Israel, and twelve Syrian jets attacked Israeli settlements in the [[Galilee]]. Israeli fighter jets intercepted the Syrian aircraft, shooting down three and driving off the rest.{{Sfnp|Sachar|1976|p=642}} In addition, two [[Lebanon|Lebanese]] [[Hawker Hunter]] jets, two of the twelve Lebanon had, crossed into Israeli airspace and began strafing Israeli positions in the Galilee. They were intercepted by Israeli fighter jets, and one was shot down.{{Sfnp|Oren|2002|p=237}}

On the evening of 5 June, the Israeli Air Force attacked Syrian airfields. The [[Syrian Air Force]] lost some 32 [[MiG 21]]s, 23 [[MiG-15]] and MiG-17 fighters, and two [[Ilyushin Il-28]] bombers, two-thirds of its fighting strength. The Syrian aircraft that survived the attack retreated to distant bases and played no further role in the war. Following the attack, Syria realized that the news it had received from Egypt of the near-total destruction of the Israeli military could not have been true.{{Sfnp|Sachar|1976|p=642}}

[[File:PikiWiki Israel 7250 Kids in the shelter kibbutz Dan.JPG|thumb|People in a bomb shelter at [[Dan, Israel|Kibbutz Dan]]]]
On 6 June, a minor Syrian force tried to capture the water plants at [[Tel Dan]] (the subject of a fierce escalation two years earlier), [[Dan, Israel|Dan]], and [[She'ar Yashuv]]. These attacks were repulsed with the loss of twenty soldiers and seven tanks. An Israeli officer was also killed. But a broader Syrian offensive quickly failed. Syrian reserve units were broken up by Israeli air attacks, and several tanks were reported to have sunk in the Jordan River.{{Sfnp|Sachar|1976|p=642}}

Other problems included tanks being too wide for bridges, lack of radio communications between tanks and infantry, and units ignoring orders to advance. A post-war Syrian army report concluded:

<blockquote>Our forces did not go on the offensive either because they did not arrive or were not wholly prepared or because they could not find shelter from the enemy's aircraft. The reserves could not withstand the air attacks; they dispersed after their morale plummeted.{{Sfnp|Oren|2002e|loc=Section "Damascus and Jerusalem"}}</blockquote>

The Syrians bombarded Israeli civilian settlements in the [[Galilee Panhandle]] with two battalions of [[130 mm towed field gun M1954 (M-46)|M-46 130mm guns]], four companies of heavy mortars, and dug-in [[Panzer IV]] tanks. The Syrian bombardment killed two civilians and hit 205 houses as well as farming installations. An inaccurate report from a Syrian officer said that as a result of the bombardment that "the enemy appears to have suffered heavy losses and is retreating".{{Sfnp|Dunstan|2013|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=8Vy1CwAAQBAJ&pg=PA65 65]}}

==== Israelis debate whether the Golan Heights should be attacked ====
On 7 and 8 June, the Israeli leadership debated about whether to attack the Golan Heights as well. Syria had supported pre-war raids that had helped raise tensions and had routinely shelled Israel from the Heights, so some Israeli leaders wanted to see Syria punished.{{Sfnp|Oren|2002e|loc=Section "The War: Day Five, June 9"}} Military opinion was that the attack would be extremely costly since it would entail an uphill battle against a strongly fortified enemy. The western side of the Golan Heights consists of a rock escarpment that rises 500 meters (1,700&nbsp;ft) from the [[Sea of Galilee]] and the [[Jordan River]], and then flattens to a gently sloping plateau. Dayan opposed the operation bitterly at first, believing such an undertaking would result in losses of 30,000 and might trigger Soviet intervention. Prime Minister [[Levi Eshkol|Eshkol]], on the other hand, was more open to the possibility, as was the head of the Northern Command, [[David Elazar]], whose unbridled enthusiasm for and confidence in the operation may have eroded Dayan's reluctance.{{Citation needed|date=June 2022}}

Eventually, the situation on the Southern and Central fronts cleared up, intelligence estimated that the likelihood of Soviet intervention had been reduced, [[reconnaissance]] showed some Syrian defenses in the Golan region collapsing, and an intercepted cable revealed that Nasser was urging the President of Syria to immediately accept a ceasefire. At 3 am on 9 June, Syria announced its acceptance of the ceasefire. Despite this announcement, Dayan became more enthusiastic about the idea and four hours later at 7 am, "gave the order to go into action against Syria"{{Efn|Israel clearly did not want the US Government to know too much about its dispositions for attacking Syria, initially planned for June 8, but postponed for 24 hours. The attack on the ''Liberty'' occurred on June 8, whereas on June 9 at 3 am, Syria announced its acceptance of the cease-fire. Despite this, at 7 am, that is, four hours later, Israel's [[Ministry of Defense (Israel)|Minister of Defense]], [[Moshe Dayan]], "gave the order to go into action against Syria.<ref>{{harvp|Lenczowski|1990|pp=105–115}}, citing Moshe Dayan, ''Story of My Life'', and [[Nadav Safran]], ''From War to War: The Arab–Israeli Confrontation, 1948–1967'', p.&nbsp;375</ref>}}{{Sfnp|Oren|2002e|loc=Section "The War: Day Five, June 9"}} without consultation or government authorization.{{Sfnp|Morris|2001|p=325}}

The Syrian army consisted of about 75,000 men grouped in nine brigades, supported by an adequate amount of artillery and armor. Israeli forces used in combat consisted of two brigades (the [[8th Armored Brigade (Israel)|8th Armored Brigade]] and the [[Golani Brigade]]) in the northern part of the front at [[Givat HaEm]], and another two (infantry and one of Peled's brigades summoned from Jenin) in the center. The Golan Heights' unique terrain (mountainous slopes crossed by parallel streams every several kilometers running east to west), and the general lack of roads in the area channeled both forces along east–west axes of movement and restricted the ability of units to support those on either flank. Thus the Syrians could move north–south on the plateau itself, and the Israelis could move north–south at the base of the Golan escarpment. An advantage Israel possessed was the intelligence collected by [[Mossad]] operative [[Eli Cohen]] (who was captured and executed in Syria in 1965) regarding the Syrian battle positions. Syria had built extensive defensive fortifications in depths up to 15 kilometers.{{Sfnp|Hammel|1992|p=387}}

As opposed to all the other campaigns, IAF was only partially effective in the Golan because the fixed fortifications were so effective. The Syrian forces proved unable to put up effective defense largely because the officers were poor leaders and treated their soldiers badly; often officers would retreat from danger, leaving their men confused and ineffective. The Israelis also had the upper hand during close combat that took place in the numerous Syrian bunkers along the Golan Heights, as they were armed with the [[Uzi]], a [[submachine gun]] designed for close combat, while Syrian soldiers were armed with the heavier [[AK-47]] assault rifle, designed for combat in more open areas.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}

====Israeli attack: first day (9 June)====
[[File:Israeli tanks advancing on the Golan Heights. June 1967. D327-098.jpg|thumb|right|Israeli tanks advancing on the Golan Heights. June 1967]]

On the morning of 9 June, Israeli jets began carrying out dozens of sorties against Syrian positions from [[Mount Hermon]] to [[Tawafiq, Syria|Tawfiq]], using rockets salvaged from captured Egyptian stocks. The airstrikes knocked out artillery batteries and storehouses and forced transport columns off the roads. The Syrians suffered heavy casualties and a drop in morale, with some senior officers and troops deserting. The attacks also provided time as Israeli forces cleared paths through Syrian minefields. The airstrikes did not seriously damage the Syrians' bunkers and trench systems, and the bulk of Syrian forces on the Golan remained in their positions.{{Sfnp|Oren|2002|p=280}}

About two hours after the airstrikes began, the [[8th Armored Brigade (Israel)|8th Armored Brigade]], led by Colonel [[Albert Mandler]], advanced into the Golan Heights from [[Givat HaEm]]. Its advance was spearheaded by [[Engineering Corps (Israel)|Engineering Corps]] sappers and eight bulldozers, which cleared away barbed wire and mines. As they advanced, the force came under fire, and five bulldozers were immediately hit. The Israeli tanks, with their manoeuvrability sharply reduced by the terrain, advanced slowly under fire toward the fortified village of Sir al-Dib, with their ultimate objective being the fortress at Qala. Israeli casualties steadily mounted.{{Sfnp|Oren|2002|pp=281–282}}

Part of the attacking force lost its way and emerged opposite Za'ura, a redoubt manned by Syrian reservists. With the situation critical, Colonel Mandler ordered simultaneous assaults on Za'ura and Qala. Heavy and confused fighting followed, with Israeli and Syrian tanks struggling around obstacles and firing at extremely short ranges. Mandler recalled that "the Syrians fought well and bloodied us. We beat them only by crushing them under our treads and by blasting them with our cannons at very short range, from 100 to 500 meters." The first three Israeli tanks to enter Qala were stopped by a Syrian bazooka team, and a relief column of seven Syrian tanks arrived to repel the attackers.{{Sfnp|Oren|2002|pp=281–282}}

The Israelis took heavy fire from the houses, but could not turn back, as other forces were advancing behind them, and they were on a narrow path with mines on either side. The Israelis continued pressing forward and called for air support. A pair of Israeli jets destroyed two of the Syrian tanks, and the remainder withdrew. The surviving defenders of Qala retreated after their commander was killed. Meanwhile, Za'ura fell in an Israeli assault, and the Israelis also captured the 'Ein Fit fortress.{{Sfnp|Oren|2002|pp=281–282}}

In the central sector, the Israeli 181st Battalion captured the strongholds of Dardara and Tel Hillal after fierce fighting. Desperate fighting also broke out along the operation's northern axis, where [[Golani Brigade]] attacked thirteen Syrian positions, including the formidable [[Tel Faher|Tel Fakhr]] position. Navigational errors placed the Israelis directly under the Syrians' guns. In the fighting that followed, both sides took heavy casualties, with the Israelis losing all nineteen of their tanks and half-tracks.{{Sfnp|Oren|2002|p=283}} The Israeli battalion commander then ordered his twenty-five remaining men to dismount, divide into two groups, and charge the northern and southern flanks of Tel Fakhr. The first Israelis to reach the perimeter of the southern approach laid on the [[barbed wire]], allowing their comrades to vault over them. From there, they assaulted the fortified Syrian positions. The fighting was waged at extremely close quarters, often hand-to-hand.{{Sfnp|Oren|2002|p=283}}

On the northern flank, the Israelis broke through within minutes and cleared out the trenches and bunkers. During the seven-hour battle, the Israelis lost 31 dead and 82 wounded, while the Syrians lost 62 dead and 20 captured. Among the dead was the Israeli battalion commander. The Golani Brigade's 51st Battalion took Tel 'Azzaziat, and Darbashiya also fell to Israeli forces.{{Sfnp|Oren|2002|p=283}}

[[File:1967-06-09 Egypt Accepts UN Cease-Fire.ogv|thumb|thumbtime=1:16|A [[Universal Newsreel]] from 9 June about the war and UN reactions.]]
By the evening of 9 June, the four Israeli brigades had all broken through to the plateau, where they could be reinforced and replaced. Thousands of reinforcements began reaching the front, those tanks and half-tracks that had survived the previous day's fighting were refuelled and replenished with ammunition, and the wounded were evacuated. By dawn, the Israelis had eight brigades in the sector.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}

Syria's first line of defense had been shattered, but the defenses beyond that remained largely intact. Mount Hermon and the Banias in the north, and the entire sector between Tawfiq and Customs House Road in the south remained in Syrian hands. In a meeting early on the night of 9 June, Syrian leaders decided to reinforce those positions as quickly as possible and to maintain a steady barrage on Israeli civilian settlements.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}

====Israeli attack: second day (10 June)====
Throughout the night, the Israelis continued their advance, though it was slowed by fierce resistance. An anticipated Syrian counterattack never materialized. At the fortified village of Jalabina, a garrison of Syrian reservists, levelling their anti-aircraft guns, held off the Israeli 65th Paratroop Battalion for four hours before a small detachment managed to penetrate the village and knock out the heavy guns.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}

Meanwhile, the 8th Brigade's tanks moved south from Qala, advancing six miles to Wasit under heavy artillery and tank bombardment. At the Banias in the north, Syrian mortar batteries opened fire on advancing Israeli forces only after Golani Brigade sappers cleared a path through a minefield, killing sixteen Israeli soldiers and wounding four.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}

On the next day, 10 June, the central and northern groups joined in a [[pincer movement]] on the plateau, but that fell mainly on empty territory as the Syrian forces retreated. At 8:30&nbsp;am, the Syrians began blowing up their own bunkers, burning documents and retreating. Several units joined by Elad Peled's troops climbed to the Golan from the south, only to find the positions mostly empty. When the 8th Brigade reached Mansura, five miles from Wasit, the Israelis met no opposition and found abandoned equipment, including tanks, in perfect working condition. In the fortified Banias village, Golani Brigade troops found only several Syrian soldiers chained to their positions.{{Sfnp|Oren|2002|p=295}}

During the day, the Israeli units stopped after obtaining manoeuvre room between their positions and a line of volcanic hills to the west. In some locations, Israeli troops advanced after an agreed-upon cease-fire<ref>{{Cite video |year=1960|title=Video: Cease-Fire. Uneasy Truce In Mid-East, 1967/06/13 (1967) |url=https://archive.org/details/1967-06-13_Cease-Fire|publisher=[[Universal Newsreel]]|access-date=22 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130608035234/http://archive.org/details/1967-06-13_Cease-Fire |archive-date=8 June 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> to occupy strategically strong positions.{{Sfnp|Oren|2002e|loc=Section "Playing for the Brink"}} To the east, the ground terrain is an open gently sloping plain. This position later became the cease-fire line known as the "[[Purple Line (border)|Purple Line]]".

''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine reported: "In an effort to pressure the United Nations into enforcing a ceasefire, Damascus Radio undercut its own army by broadcasting the fall of the city of [[Quneitra]] three hours before it actually capitulated. That premature report of the surrender of their headquarters destroyed the morale of the Syrian troops left in the Golan area."<ref>{{Cite news |title=A Campaign for the Books |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=1 September 1967 |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,837237,00.html |access-date=22 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101015083148/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,837237,00.html |archive-date=15 October 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>