Editing 1982 Lebanon War (section)

===Invasion===
[[File:Lebanon1982.svg|thumb|Troop movements between {{Nowrap|June 6}} and June 25]]
[[File:Israeli troops in south Lebanon (1982).jpg|thumb|An Israeli armored personnel carrier in south Lebanon]]
On 6 June 1982, Israeli forces under direction of Defense Minister [[Ariel Sharon]] launched a three-pronged invasion of southern Lebanon in "Operation Peace for Galilee". Roughly 60,000 troops and more than 800 tanks, heavily supported by aircraft, attack helicopters, artillery, and missile boats, crossed the Israel–Lebanon border in three areas. Simultaneously, Israeli armor, paratroopers, and naval commandos set sail in [[Shayetet 11|amphibious landing ships]] from [[Ashdod]] towards the Lebanese coast north of Sidon. Israel's publicly stated objective was to push [[Palestine Liberation Organization|PLO]] forces back {{convert|40|km|mi|sp=us}} to the north.<ref name=Davis/>

The westernmost Israeli force was to advance up the coastal road to [[Tyre, Lebanon|Tyre]]. Its mission was to bypass Tyre and destroy three PLO camps in the area, then move up the coast towards [[Sidon]] and [[Damour]], while Israeli forces would simultaneously conduct an amphibious landing north of Sidon to cut off the retreat of PLO forces there. In the center, two divisions were to advance both north and south of the high ground overlooked by [[Beaufort Castle, Lebanon|Beaufort Castle]], which was being used as a PLO stronghold, and take the road junction at [[Nabatieh]], while an elite reconnaissance battalion was to take the castle itself.<ref name=Davis/>

The two divisions were then to split, with one heading west to link up with the forces along the coast, and another towards [[Jezzine]] and from there along the right flank of Syrian forces in the [[Bekaa Valley]]. The easternmost Israeli force, the largest of the three, advanced into the Bekaa Valley. Its mission was to prevent Syrian reinforcements from being sent and to stop Syrian forces from attempting to interfere with the operation on the coastal road.<ref name=Davis>Davis, H. Thomas: ''40 Km into Lebanon: Israel's 1982 Invasion''</ref>