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Operation Dani

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The strategically important airport at Lydda following its capture by the IDF in July 1948

Operation Danny (Template:Lang-he, Mivtza Dani) was an Israeli military offensive launched at the end of the first truce of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. The objectives were to capture territory East of Tel Aviv and then to push inland and relieve the Jewish population and forces in Jerusalem. The main forces fighting against the IDF were the Arab Legion and Palestinian irregulars [1] It was launched at the end of the first truce, July 9-19, 1948. The operation was named after Danny Mass, the commander of the "Convoy of 35". The operation commander was Yigal Allon and his deputy was Yitzhak Rabin.

The first phase of Operation Danny was to capture the cities of Lydda and Ramle, located on the road to Jerusalem, southeast of Tel Aviv. Ramle was one of the main obstacles blocking Jewish transportation[2]. The second phase was to capture the fort at Latrun and break through Ramallah. The operation was carried out under Palmach command using the Yiftach Brigade, the Harel Brigade, the 8th Armored Brigade and two battalions from the Kiryati and Alexandroni brigades.

The first phase of the operation succeeded, capturing the two towns and putting the international airport at Lydda and the strategic railway station in Israeli hands. Two days after the capture of Lydda and Ramle only a few hundred of the 50,000 to 70,000 residents remained in the two towns.[3]

The second phase of the operation failed after several costly attacks on Arab Legion positions at Latrun and the threat of a UN imposed cease fire.[4]

Palestinian communities captured in Operation Danny

Name Date Defending forces Brigade Population
Dayr Tarif 9 July 1948 Arab Legion Armoured Brigade
Kiryati Brigade 		1,750
Al-Tira 10 July 1948 n/a Alexandroni Brigade
8th Armoured Brigade 		1,290
Daniyal 10 July 1948 n/a Yiftach Brigade 410
Kharruba 10 July 1948 n/a Yiftach Brigade 170
al-Barriyya 9-10 July 1948 n/a n/a 510
'Innaba 10 July 1948 200 villagers Yiftach Brigade
8th Brigade 		1,420
Jimzu 10 July 1948 n/a Yiftach Brigade 1,150
Rantiya 10 July 1948 n/a 8th Armoured Brigade
3rd Battalion, Alexandroni Brigade 		590
Lydda 11 July 1948 n/a 3rd Battalion, Yiftah Brigade see Ramle
Al-Jura 11 July 1948 n/a n/a 420
Al-Muzayri'a 12 July 1948 n/a n/a 1,160
Ramle 12 July 1948 Arab Legion withdrew Kiryati Brigade 50-70,000 combined with Lydda
including 15,000 refugees from Jaffa
Majdal Yaba 12 July 1948 Iraqi army 2nd Battalion, Alexandroni Brigade 1,520
Al-Haditha 12 July 1948 n/a n/a 760
Abu al-Fadl 12-13 July 1948 n/a n/a 510
Suba, Jerusalem 12-13 July 1948 "bloodless" Har'el Brigade 620
Khirbat al-Lawz 13-14 July 1948 n/a Har'el Brigade 450
Sar'a 13-14 July 1948 Egyptian forces 4th Battalion Har'el Brigade 340
Sataf 13-14 July 1948 n/a Har'el Brigade 540
al-Maliha 14-16 July 1948 Egyptian irregulars
Palestinian militia 		Irgun
Palmach Youth 		1,940
al-Burj 15 July 1948 Arab Legion n/a 480
Kh al-Buwayra mid July 1948 n/a n/a 190
Salbit 15-16 July 1948 Arab Legion 2nd Battalion, Kiryati Brigade 510
Bayt Nabala 15-16 July 1948 Arab Legion
150-200 men 		n/a 2,310
Bir Ma'in 15-16 July 1948 Arab Legion Yiftach Brigade
1st & 2nd Battalions 		510
Barfiliya 15-16 July 1948 n/a Givati and Kiryati Brigades
8th Armoured 		730
Kasla 16 July 1948 n/a Har'el Brigade 280
Dayr 'Amr Boys Farm 16 July 1948 none 4th Battalion Har'el Brigade 10
Ishwa' 16 July 1948 n/a 4th Battalion Har'el Brigade 620
Artuf 17-18 July 1948 Palestinian militia
under Egyptian command 		4th Battalion Har'el Brigade 350
Islin 18 July 1948 n/a n/a 260
Shilta 18 July 1948 Arab Legion 1st Battalion, Yiftach Brigade
lost 44 men withdrawing 		100

Sources:

  • Walid Khalidi, All That Remains, ISBN 0 88728 224 5
  • Benny Morris, The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem, 1947–1949, ISBN 0 521 33028 9

Units participating in Operation Danny

See also

References

  1. ^ Chaim Herzog, 'The Arab-Israeli Wars' ISBN 0 85368 367 0 (1982). page 80: 'A blow against the Arab Legion was the essence of Operation 'Danny' planned as the main Israeli offensive to be mounted on the resumption of hostilities.'
  2. ^ Golan, Arnon. "Lydda and Ramle: from Palestinian-Arab to Israeli towns, 1948-67," Middle Eastern Studies, October 1, 2003
  3. ^ Exodus from Lydda
  4. ^ Herzog, page 82.
  5. ^ Herzog, page 80.
  6. ^ Moshe Dayan, 'My Life.' ISBN 0 688 03076 9 (1976). Page 103.

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