Battle of Sultan Yacoub
Encyclopedia
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
.
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.
Israel countered with its own Cobra helicopters, used against both ground targets and the Gazelles.
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. 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. At least one is now on display at the Tishreen Panorama Military Museum in Damascus
.
Thirty IDF soldiers died in the battle, which was viewed as an Israeli intelligence failure
. 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.
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
during the 1982 Lebanon War
1982 Lebanon War
The 1982 Lebanon War , , called Operation Peace for Galilee by Israel, and later known in Israel as the Lebanon War and First Lebanon War, began on 6 June 1982, when the Israel Defense Forces invaded southern Lebanon...
.
At the beginning of the invasion Israeli Brig. Gen. Giora Lev’s 90th Division passed through Marjayoun
Marjayoun
Marjayoun is a Lebanese town and administrative district, Marjeyoun District, in the Nabatieh Governorate in Southern Lebanon...
and took up positions around Kawkaba
Kawkaba
Kawkaba , known to the Crusaders as Coquebel, was an Palestinian village that was captured by Israel during Operation Yoav during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and depopulated.-Location:...
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
Joub Jannine
Joub Jannine is located in the Beqaa Valley valley in Lebanon.Joub Jannine is the center of the Western Beqaa District, hosting the Serail, which is a main governmental building serving the area. Joub Jannine is surrounded by a number of villages...
.
The Syrians made skillful use of their Gazelle helicopters to support the delaying action, firing HOT
Euromissile HOT
The HOT is a second-generation long-range anti-tank missile system developed originally as an effort to meet a joint German-French Army requirement, by the then German firm Bolkow and the French firm Nord, to replace the older SS.11 wire guided...
missiles into the long columns of Israeli vehicles stretched out along the roads.
Israel countered with its own Cobra helicopters, used against both ground targets and the Gazelles.
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
Sultan Yacoub
Sultan Yacoub is a Lebanese village in the eastern Beqaa Valley, about seven kilometers from the border with Syria. -Battle in the Lebanon War:...
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
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
lost eight tanks and about 30 killed. The Israelis failed to destroy the disabled M-48A3
M48 Patton
The M48 Patton is a medium tank that was designed in the United States. It was the third and final tank to be officially named after General George S. Patton, commander of the U.S. Third Army during World War II and one of the earliest American advocates for the use of tanks in battle It was a...
Magach-3 tanks they left behind and they were recovered the next day by the Syrians. At least one is now on display at the Tishreen Panorama Military Museum in Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
.
Thirty IDF soldiers died in the battle, which was viewed as an Israeli intelligence failure
Intelligence Failure
Intelligence Failure is the eighth studio album of the actor Viggo Mortensen and seventh with the avant-garde guitarist Buckethead, released on 2005. The album combines traditional and original compositions, as well as clips of public speeches, most notably of George W. Bush and members of his...
. 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.