Battle of Sultan Yacoub

Battle of Sultan Yacoub
Part of the 1982 Lebanon War

One of captured Israeli ERA-armored M48 tanks
DateJune 10, 1982
LocationNear Sultan Yacoub, Bekaa Lebanon
Result Syrian victory
Belligerents
 Israel  Syria
Commanders and leaders
Brig. Gen. Gioria Lev Brig. Gen. Mustafa Popov
Casualties and losses
20 killed
3 missing
10 tanks lost
3 APCs destroyed		 unknown killed

The Battle of Sultan Yacoub was a battle between Syria and Israel during the 1982 Lebanon War.

At the beginning of the invasion Israeli Brig. Gen. Giora Lev’s 90th Division passed through Marjayoun and took up positions around Kawkaba and Hasbaiya. From there it began to push the Syrian 76th and 91st Armored Brigade, of the 10th Division, 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 Israeli 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 as well as Pluga Kaph from the 363rd 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-hours ordeal the Israeli Army lost eight 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 Tishreen Panorama Military Museum in Damascus.[2]

Thirty IDF soldiers died in the battle, which was viewed as an Israeli intelligence failure.[3][2] Three IDF soldiers remain unaccounted for. The three soldiers were captured and were paraded through Damascus held on top of their captured tank. Time magazine reporter Dean Brelis testified to having seen the three captives alive at the time. Among the three soldiers is an Israeli-US citizen, Zachary Baumel, who remains missing, as are Yehuda Katz and Zvi Feldman.[4]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Solley, Maj. George C. (May 10, 1987). The Israeli Experience In Lebanon, 1982-1985. War Since 1945 Seminar. Quantico, VA: Marine Corps Command and Staff College.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Cooper, Tom; al-Abed, Yaser (September 26, 2003). "Syrian Tank-Hunters in Lebanon, 1982". Retrieved October 28, 2011.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Davis, Maj. M. Thomas (April 1, 1985). Lebanon 1982: The Imbalance of Political Ends and Military Means. War Since 1945 Seminar. Quantico, VA: Marine Corps Command and Staff College.
  4. ↑ Бой у Султан-Яакуб

Coordinates: 33°36′55″N 35°51′10″E / 33.61528°N 35.85278°E