Operation Peace for the Galilee: The First Lebanon War

The border with Lebanon used to be Israel’s quietest border until the end of the 1960s. That’s when Palestinian terrorist organizations, such as the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Fatah and the Palestinian National Liberation Front (PNLF), began using Lebanon as a base to target northern Israeli communities and to carry out terrorist attacks against Israeli citizens and Jews worldwide. The entrenchment of Palestinian terrorists in Lebanon deepened after the events of Black September in 1970, when they were expelled from Jordan. Following this, Lebanon became the epicenter of Palestinian terrorist activity. Brutal terrorist attacks, ongoing security incidents and artillery fire toward northern Israeli communities became more frequent.

Syrian soldiers of the Palestinian Liberation Army (PLA) mounted on a truck as part of the evacuation of Syrian forces from Beirut, carrying portraits of PLO leader Yasser Arafat, Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, PLA commander Muhammad Tark al-Khadra and The revolutionist Ernesto Guevara, late August 1982. Source: IDF Spokesperson (unknown photographer).

These terrorist attacks in the early 1970s included the attacks on a schoolbus full of young children from Avivim (1970) killing 12 civilians, 9 of them children, the hijacking of Sabena Flight 571 (1972), the murder of Israeli Olympic athletes in Munich (1972), the terrorist attacks in Ma’alot, Naharia and Kiryat Shmona (1974), the terrorist attack at the Savoy Hotel in Tel Aviv (1975) and the hijacking of an Air France plane to Entebbe, Uganda (1976). In response, Israel increased its counterterrorism activities on its northern border and began operating inside Lebanon. Israel carried out a raid of terrorist hotspots in western Beirut, known as Operation Aviv Ne’urim (1973), and a number of other armed operations in southern Lebanon between 1970 and 1974.

In the middle of April 1975, following a violent clash between armed Christian Maronite militants and armed Palestinian terrorists, a civil war erupted in Lebanon. During the civil war, Syria routinely intervened in Lebanon, which they considered themselves to be a “patron” country of. Syria began to deploy forces in Lebanon in early 1976. Initially, these forces supported the Palestinians. However, Syria later switched its position and began operating against the Palestinians in an attempt to end the violence and to strengthen Syria’s position in Lebanon. In October 1976, the Syrian forces were formally recognized in Lebanon by the Arab League as inter-Arab deterrence forces. This was done to end the civil war in Lebanon and disarm the Palestinian militias. 

The civil war also created a partnership of interest between the Christian-Maronite camp against the Palestinian terrorist organizations, and to a lesser amount, against Syrian involvement in Lebanon. Moreover, due to the national government’s weakness, and in the presence of the terrorist threat, Israel began aiding the population of southern Lebanon and supported a militia there, which was called “ Al-Qalyia” and later the “Hadad Militia” or the “Free Lebanon Army”. The militias defended Christians in southern Lebanon against Palestinian terrorist organizations which also served Israel’s security interests.

However, Palestinian terrorist activities against Israel continued. After the brutal Coastal Road Massacre (1978) in which 38 Israelis were murdered by members of Fatah, Israel began Operation ‘Litani’, which included a large-scale effort to eradicate the terrorist infrastructure along the border in southern Lebanon. The amount of forces used in the operation was the largest since the Yom Kippur War in 1973 and included about three infantry brigades, an armored brigade and two artillery brigades. After this effort, the Hadad Militia held control over roughly 5-10 kilometers of land in Southern Lebanon. 

In accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 425 in 1978, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was created and deployed along the border in a peacekeeping operation and to make sure terrorists didn’t use the area as a base for their attacks once more.

IDF Chief of the General Staff LTG Refael Eitan (Raful) and Defense Minister Ariel Sharon with the city of Beirut in the background. Source: IDF archive. Photography: Ori Dan.

After Operation Litani, Israel strengthened its connection with the leader of the Christian-Maronite camp in Lebanon, Bashir Jumail, who was the head of “The Lebanese Forces”, a big tent united Christian militia. In April 1981, a power struggle between the Christian militias and Syria in the christian city of Zahle—close to the Syrian border—led Israel to intervene in the conflict. During a conflict between the Syrian Army and the Lebanese Christian militias, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) mistakenly struck two Syrian transport helicopters, believing they were fighter jets about to strike a Christian post. The next day, Syria laid out surface-to-air missiles against aircraft in Lebanon, which decreased Israel’s freedom of action in the area. 

Despite Operation Litani’s achievements, Israel continued to deal with incoming Palestinian terrorism from Lebanon. In the early 1980s, multiple terrorist attacks and artillery attacks toward Israel’s northern border forced the IDF to operate again against terrorist hotspots, including in the city of Nabatieh, along Lebanon’s coast and in other areas. The fighting continued into July 1981, when terrorists fired thousands of mortars and rockets, which the IAF was unable to thwart with aerial strikes alone. Through mediation by the U.S., a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was signed in July, intended to bring an end to the Palestinian terrorist attacks.

At the end of 1981, the Oranim Plan became the main operative plan for IDF activities in Lebanon. This plan consisted in eliminating terrorist infrastructure in Lebanon, neutralizing the Syrian surface-to-air missiles in the Beqaa Valley (also in Lebanon), driving the Syrian Army away from Beqaa, Beirut and Zahle and supporting the establishment of a new Lebanese regime headed by the Christian-Maronite camp. To achieve this, the IDF would have to secure the Beirut-Damascus road, but also effectively repel the Syrian Army and remain in Lebanon until the new government became stable. Another version of the Oranim Plan was called Shalom HaGalil (Peace for the Galilee), and this ended up being used as the name of the entire operation.

The Ot Olam Exercise of Division 162. The commander of the division, Menahem Eynan, delegates orders. The exercise was held at a time of operational alertness, during which it was planned to use Division 162 in Lebanon, February 1982. Source: IDF spokesperson’s unit (unknown photographer).

Throughout all of this, Israel continued to maintain contact with northern Lebanese Christians. Although it was formally announced that there would be no ties with Israel, the reality was that the Phalanges (the biggest Christian-Maronite militia at the time) wished for an Israeli operation that would help them win the civil war. As part of the operative plan, the IDF intended to land armored forces in Jounieh (Operation Pri Hadar) and from there advance toward securing Beirut. In the end, this plan was scrapped at the request of the Maronites.

Despite the ceasefire with the PLO, there was a tense feeling on the northern border, which led to increased Israeli operational readiness in the beginning of 1982. In early April, Israel responded to the many terrorist activities carried out by the PLO and other terrorist militias—particularly the murder of Yaakov Bar-Simantov, an Israeli diplomat in Paris— by striking terrorist targets in Lebanon. After striking two Syrian MIG fighter jets, the PLO declared the end of the ceasefire. In May, the PLO drew the Syrian forces toward the south of Beqaa. Shortly after, Israel responded by striking more targets in Lebanon.

M-110 cannon (203 mm ax) while firing as part of the siege of Beirut. Source: IDF Spokesperson (unknown photographer).

​​In mid-May, in light of the tension on Israel’s northern border, the Peace to the Galilee Plan was presented to the government. This plan was to maneuver and take control of an area about 40 km deep into Lebanon and eradicate the terrorist presence there. The implementation of the plan was to stop artillery and rocket fire toward northern settlements in Israel and, over time, to end the Palestinian terrorist grip on Lebanon. The government discussed the possibility that the operation would develop beyond the 40 km line and the possibility that the IDF would have to fight the Syrian Army. From that time on, it was understood that further escalation would require a large-scale military operation in Lebanon.

The Course of the War - A General Overview

On the night of Thursday, June 3-4, 1982, Palestinian terrorists tried and failed to assassinate Israel's Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Shlomo Argov. The next day, the IDF responded by striking terrorist targets in Lebanon and began to prepare for the implementation of the Oranim Plan. Later that day, fighting broke out. This led the Israeli government to announce on the evening of June 5th the launch of Operation Peace to the Galilee. The IDF's ground maneuvers in Lebanon began the next day.

Operation Peace to the Galilee lasted from June 5 to September 29, 1982. Its course can be divided into three main periods: the first week of the war, the siege of Beirut, and the period of the evacuation of the terrorists.

Defense Minister Ariel Sharon on a visit to the Beaufort Fortress, June 7, 1982. Source: IDF Archives and the Ministry of Defense (unknown photographer).

During the first week of the war (June 6-13), the IDF advanced in Lebanon in three main combat sectors: the western sector, the central sector, and the eastern sector. The fighting in the first week developed gradually. Between June 6-8, the IDF was mainly engaged in fighting the terrorist forces in “Fatahland” (southern Lebanon), Ramat Nabatieh and the coastal axis. On June 8, the IDF began striking Syrian air defenses near ​​the town of Jezzine, but had not yet met most of the Syrian forces in Beqaa. Following the attack on the Syrian anti-aircraft missile array by the IAF on June 9 (Operation Mole Cricket 19), the IDF deepened its progress in the eastern and central sectors while extensively engaging the Syrian Army. On the night of June 10, most Israeli forces in the eastern sector halted their advance and prepared for a Syrian counterattack. Progress in the eastern sector halted when a ceasefire at 12:00 was unilaterally declared by Israel.

Operation Shalom Hagalil  - Map of Divisional Movements June 6-11, 1982.

While IDF efforts in the eastern and central sectors progressed, efforts in the western sector continued throughout the week until the morning of June 13, when it joined the Christian forces east of Beirut. The IDF managed to target terrorist infrastructure, locate weapons and search for terrorist suspects.

On June 13, the siege of Beirut began. This lasted until the Palestinian terrorists evacuated Lebanon on August 31. During the siege, the IDF imposed a naval and land blockade on the city and battled with terrorists for days. The IDF struck terrorist strongholds from the air, the sea and with artillery fire. During this period, terrorist attacks were carried out by terrorist forces and the Syrian Army, inflicting IDF casualties. On June 20, about a week after the siege began, the IDF began another phase in the central and western sectors. At this stage, which lasted until June 25, the IDF took control over a significant portion of the Beirut-Damascus road.

Infantry soldiers board a Yasur helicopter on their way to reinforce IDF forces in Beirut. Source: IDF Spokesperson (unknown photographer).

In the period following the evacuation of Syrian forces and terrorists from Beirut, internal attempts were made to replace the regime in Lebanon. On August 23, Bachir Gemayel was elected President of Lebanon, and the beginning of his term was set about a month later. In theory, the evacuation of the terrorists would have marked the achievement of the goals of Operation Shalom Hagalil—in early September, Defense Minister Ariel Sharon announced the completion of the operation. However, on September 13, Bachir Gemayel was assassinated by the Syrian Social Nationalist Party with the support of Syrian President Hafez Al-Assad. Chaos ensued. As a result, the IDF was forced to occupy West Beirut. During the takeover of the city, between September 16-18, the Maronite Phalanges massacred the residents of the Sabra and Shatila Palestinian refugee camps, which created heavy international pressure on Israel to withdraw from Beirut and even to establish a state commission of inquiry. On September 29, the IDF fully withdrew from the city, ending its presence in western Beirut. A few months later, Operation Shalom Hagalil was recognized as a campaign that began on June 5 and ended on September 29.