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The Battle of Sultan Yacoub was a battle between Syria and Israel during the 1982 Lebanon War. At the beginning of the invasion Brig. Gen. Gioria Lev’s 90th Division passed through Marjayoun and took up positions around Kawkaba and Hasbaiya. From there it began to push the Syrian 91st Armored Brigade north up the Bekaa Valley towards Joub Jannine.[1] [2] The Syrians made skillful use of their Gazelle helicopters to support the delaying action, firing HOT missiles into the long columns of Israeli vehicles stretched out along the roads.[1] [2] [3] Israel countered with its own Cobra helicopters, used against both ground targets and the Gazelles.[1] [2]
On June 10 the 90th Division was rushed forward in order to gain as much ground as possible before the cease-fire came into effect. Late that night most of its 362nd Battalion fought its way through Syrian infantry in the village of Sultan Yacoub only to become cut off and surrounded. At dawn the Israelis broke out and escaped to the south with the support of 11 battalions of artillery firing both at the Syrians and in a box barrage around their own troops. In the six hour ordeal the IDF lost 8 tanks and about 30 killed.[3] The Israelis failed to destroy the disabled M-48A3 Magach-3 tanks they left behind and they were recovered the next day by the Syrians.[1] At least one is now on display at the Teshren Panorama Museum in Damascus.[2]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Solley, Maj. George C. (May 10, 1987), The Israeli Experience In Lebanon, 1982-1985, Quantico, VA: Marine Corps Command and Staff College, <http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1987/SGC.htm>
- ^ a b c d Syrian Tank-Hunters in Lebanon, 1982
- ^ a b Davis, Maj. M. Thomas (April 1, 1985). "Lebanon 1982: The Imbalance of Political Ends and Military Means" in War Since 1945 Seminar., Quantico, VA: Marine Corps Command and Staff College.
[edit] External links
Israel Defense Forces
Syrian Army
