Thread by @TodayIsrael

September 4, 1997: Israel's Shayetet 13, a special operations unit, was ambushed by Hezbollah in Lebanon, losing 12 @IDF soldiers. It was the worst single-day casualty toll for Israel in Lebanon since 1985.

THREAD
#Israel
#OTD
@ronenbergman

1/ On Aug 3, 1997, a unit from Israel's Golani Brigade was taken by helicopter near Nabatiya in Lebanon. They went to the village of Kfour and planted explosives in a wall outside the house of Hussein Qassir, an Islamic Resistance Commander.

2/ As they were leaving, they were detected, and fired at, but they escaped. In the morning, patrols searched the village for roadside bombs, and when a group of Lebanese fighters passed the wall, the bombs were detonated. Qassir and 4 other combatants were killed.

3/ A month later, the Islamic Resistance learned that Israel was planning another attack. They decided to set up an ambush of the IDF troops who arrived.

4/ On Sept 4, 1997, 16 @IDF soldiers arrived from Shayetet 13 by boat. They walked ashore on an uninhabited part of a beach in Lebanon.

5/ The unit crossed the coastal road and walked through the plantations until it reached an orchard, covered by a wall. When the unit tried to open an iron gate two Claymore type anti-personal explosives, spraying metal marbles, were exploded in quick succession.

6/ At the same time the Lebanese fighters opened fire on the Israelis, triggering the explosives carried by one of the soldiers. In minutes, 11 of the Israelis, including the commander, were dead and 4 of them wounded. Only the radioman escaped unhurt and radioed for help.

7/ Israeli helicopters quickly opened fire with antitank missiles and 20 mm chain guns, creating a perimeter of fire for the rescue helicopters. The Islamic Resistance fighters decided to pull back after two of them were wounded.

8/ More than 4 hours after the fighting began the last Israeli helicopter took off with its cargo of wounded and dead soldiers. Despite frantic searches, one of the soldiers remained missing. It was Itamar Ilya, who was blown literally to pieces.

9/ The catastrophe at Ansariya created a lot of unease in Israel. A total of 5 officers and 7 other soldiers were killed in the clash. It was the worst single-day casualty toll in Lebanon since the Israeli withdrawal to the security zone in 1985.

10/ Shayetet 13 had for a long time avoided casualties. It would take the unit two years to recuperate from this blow. @IsraeliPM @netanyahu called it "one of the worst tragedies that has ever occurred to us".