Operation Hiram
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Operation Hiram 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, 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, Kaukji'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
In "Operation Hiram Revisisted: A Correction," historian Benny Morris argues that, contrary to popular belief, orders were given out to clear the Galilee of Arabs. In October 31 Major General Moshe Carmel wrote a telegram to all his division and district commanders under his command:
Do all you can to immediately and quickly purge the conquered territories of all hostile elements in accordance with the orders issued. The residents should be helped to leave the areas that have been conquered. (Benny Morris, The Deportations of the Hiram Operation: Correcting a Mistake)
On October 29, 1948 after Safsaf had been captured, brigades involved in Operation Hiram committed the Safsaf massacre, in which 70 blindfolded men were executed and 3 girls raped.
In October, 1948 after occupying the village of Hula in Lebanon and rounding up a number of villagers, Israeli forces executed the remaining children, young persons, older and disabled persons in a savage massacre. A total of 90 persons were assembled in one house which was then demolished with the occupants still inside. The remaining families were forced to flee.
The name is a reference to Hiram, the Biblical king of Tyre. He was instrumental in construction of the First Temple.
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Palestinian communities captured in Operation Hiram
| Name | Date | Resistance | Brigade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Al-Nabi Rubin | Early October 1948 | none | n/a |
| Suhmata | October 30, 1948 | none | Golani Brigade |
| Dayr al-Qassi | October 30, 1948 | none | n/a |
| Arab al-Samniyya | October 30-31, 1948 | none | Sheva', Carmeli, Golani, Oded |
| Iqrit | October 31, 1948 | none | Oded Brigade |
| Iribbin, Khirbat | October 31, 1948 | none | Oded Brigade |
| Kafr 'Inan | October 30, 1948 | none | Golani Brigade |
| Marus | October 30, 1948 | none | Sheva' Brigade |
| Mirun | October 29, 1948 | none | Sheva', Carmeli |
| Safsaf | October 29, 1948 | ALA 2nd Battalion | ? |
| Sa'sa | October 30, 1949 | none | Sheva', Druze unit |
| Suruh | November 1948 | none | ? |
| Tarbikha | November 1948 | none | Oded Brigade |
Brigades participating in Operation Hiram
See Also
- The Deportations of the Hiram Operation: Correcting a Mistake by Benny Morris
- Hula massacre
- Safsaf massacre
- List of Israeli military operation in the 1948 Arab-Israeli war