Operation Hiram

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Operation Hiram, possibly also known as the Battle of Sa'sa', was a military operation conducted by the Israel Defence Force (IDF) during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War It was led by Moshe Carmel and aimed at capturing the entire Galilee region for Israel. The operation, which lasted just 60 hours (October 29-October 31) ended just before the ceasefire with the neighboring Arab countries went into effect. Its success ensured that the Upper Galilee, originally slated by the United Nations partition plan to be part of the Arab state of Palestine, would be controlled by the newly-formed state of Israel.

The operation was launched in response to an attack on the Jewish settlement of Manara by the Arab Liberation Army led by Fawzi el-Kaukji. Four IDF brigades (the Seventh, Carmeli Brigade, Givati, and Oded Brigades) counterattacked. The Seventh and Oded brigades advanced in a pincer movement toward the village of Sasa, the former coming from the town of Safed and the latter from Nahariyya, passing by the village of Tarshiha. Simultaneously, the Golani Brigade engaged in diversionary tactics in the direction of the village of Illaboun. The Carmeli Brigade, which was assigned to counter a possible Syrian offensive, crossed the border into Lebanon, captured 41 villages, and reached the Litani River.

At the end of this lightning attack, Israeli forces reached the Hiram Junction, north of Safed. The siege of Manara was lifted, Qawukji's army was destroyed, and the roads crossing the Upper Galilee were secured. With the Galilee under Israeli control, the IDF established a defensive line along the Lebanese border.

The name is a reference to Hiram, the Biblical king of Tyre. He was instrumental in construction of the First Temple.