View source for Operation Horev

{{Short description|1948–49 Israeli offensive against Egypt}}
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{{Campaignbox 1948 Arab–Israeli War south}}
[[File:מבצע חורב עין, מפקד היציאה בחלוצה דצמבר 1948 חנוכה תשט 2.jpg|thumb|right|Commander of the pioneering departure in Operation ''Horev'']]

'''Operation Horev''' was a large-scale offensive against the Egyptian army in the Western [[Negev]] towards the end of the [[1948 Arab–Israeli War|Arab–Israeli War]] in 1948 and 1949. Its objective was to entrap the [[Egyptian Army]] in the [[Gaza Strip]]. The operation took place from 22 December 1948 to 7 January 1949 and concluded after Britain threatened to intervene unless Israeli troops immediately withdrew from Egyptian territory.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Pappé |first=Ilan |date=1990 |title=Overt Conflict to Tacit Alliance: Anglo-Israeli Relations 1948-51 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/4283399 |journal=Middle Eastern Studies |volume=26 |issue=4 |pages=561–581 |issn=0026-3206}}</ref>

''Horev'' refers to [[Mount Sinai]] in the Scriptures, where the Israelites encamped for a year (see Exodus 3:1 and Psalms 106:19). It is contemporarily known as ''[[Mount Sinai|Jebel Musa]]'' ("Mount of [[Moses]]" in Arabic).

==Objectives==
[[File:al Auja.jpg|thumb|left|al Auja with roads to Rafah and el Arish]]
The primary objective of the offensive was to engage the Egyptian army units defending [[Auja al-Hafir|al-Auja]] on the [[Palestine (region)|Palestinian]]-[[Egypt|Egyptian]] border. The major thrust was then directed towards the Egyptian army bases at [[El-Arish]], intending to trap the majority of the Egyptian army in the [[Gaza Strip]].

Commanding the operation was [[Yigal Alon]], and involved five Israeli brigades: The [[8th Armored Brigade (Israel)|8th Armoured Brigade]], commanded by [[Yitzhak Sadeh]]; the [[Negev Brigade]]; the [[Golani Brigade]]; the [[Harel Brigade]]; and the [[Alexandroni Brigade]]. They aimed to maintain the siege of the 4,000-strong Egyptian brigade at [[Al-Faluja|Faluja]]. Additionally, the Egyptians had two more brigades in the Gaza area and one near El-Arish across the border.<ref>Herzog, Chaim (1982) ''The Arab-Israeli Wars. War and Peace in the Middle East''. Arms and Armour Press. {{ISBN|0-85368-367-0}}. p. 100.</ref>

==Campaign==
[[File:PikiWiki Israel 21023 The Palmach.jpg|thumb|right|170px|An Israeli machine gun post during Operation ''Horev'']]
On 22 December, a battalion from the Golani Brigade (transported by [[Shayetet 11]]) launched a diversionary attack on positions near the [[Gaza City|Gaza]]-[[Rafah]] road. In preparation for the offensive, the [[Israeli Defence Force|Israeli army]] had cleared a route through the desert, bypassing defenses on the [[Beersheba]] to al-Auja road. The 8th Armoured Brigade attacked al-Auja from this unexpected quarter on 27 December 1948. After 24 hours of combat, the Egyptians surrendered in disarray. Following this victory, Alon anticipated no significant Egyptian defenses west of El-Arish and prepared to seize the entire [[Sinai Peninsula|Sinai peninsula]]. The Negev Brigade, following the 8th Brigade's tanks, crossed the Egyptian border on the night of 28 December and progressed towards El-Arish. By 30 December 1948, they had reached the outskirts of the town's airfield, while units from the Harel Brigade moved further west into Sinai.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Kimche|first1=Jon|last2=Kimche|first2=David|year=1960|title=A Clash of Destinies. The Arab-Jewish War and the Founding of the State of Israel|publisher=Frederick A. Praeger|lccn=60-6996|oclc=1348948|page=260}}</ref> On 29 December, the United Nations Security Council ordered a ceasefire.<ref>Hertzog, p. 100. Maps pp. 99, 101.</ref>

==Outcome==
[[File:Negev Brigade Horev.jpg|thumb|Negev Brigade during Operation Horev]]
Before achieving his objective, Allon was ordered by Israeli Prime Minister [[David Ben-Gurion]] to withdraw from Egypt immediately due to threats from the British Government of invoking the 1936 [[Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936|Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of Friendship]] and becoming directly involved. Despite protests, but adhering to Ben-Gurion's directive, the Israelis withdrew. On 3 January, they launched an attack on the Egyptian defenses at [[Rafah]], with the same objective of trapping the Egyptian army. After three days of conflict around Rafah, the Egyptian government announced its willingness to enter armistice negotiations on 6 January 1949. On the same day, the [[Israeli Air Force]] shot down five [[Royal Air Force|RAF]] [[Spitfire]]s on patrol in the area, killing two pilots and taking two more prisoners. The British relocated reinforcements to [[Aqaba|Akaba]]. Despite protests from the army, Israel accepted the ceasefire on 7 January.<ref>Kimche. p. 262.</ref><ref>Hertzog. p. 103. [[Ezer Weizman]] shot down one of the Spitfires.</ref> 

In the concluding Armistice Agreement, al-Auja was designated a demilitarized zone.

==See also==
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* [[Battles of the Sinai (1948)]]

==References==
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{{Israeli operations in the 1948 war}}

[[Category:Battles and operations of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War|Horev]]
[[Category:December 1948 in Africa]]
[[Category:January 1949 in Africa]]
[[Category:December 1948 in Asia]]
[[Category:January 1949 in Asia]]
[[Category:Egypt–United Kingdom relations]]
[[Category:Israel–United Kingdom relations]]
[[Category:War scare]]