Operation Danny Explained

Conflict:Operation Dani
Partof:the 1948 Arab–Israeli War
Date:July 9–19, 1948
Place:East of Tel Aviv
Result:IDF succeed in capturing Ramle, Lydda and surrounding villages.
Failed to capture Latrun
Combatant1: Israel (IDF)
Combatant2: Transjordan (Arab Legion)
Commander1: Yigal Alon
Yitzhak Rabin
Commander2: Glubb Pasha
Strength1:6,000
Strength2:
Casualties1:91 killed
Casualties2:

Operation Danny (Hebrew: מבצע דני, Mivtza Dani) was an Israeli military offensive launched on July 9–19, 1948 at the end of the first truce of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. The objectives were to capture territory east of Tel Aviv and then to push inland and relieve the Jewish population and forces in Jerusalem. The main forces fighting against the IDF were the Arab Legion and Palestinian irregulars[1]

On 10 July, Glubb Pasha ordered the defending Arab Legion troops to "make arrangements ... for a phony war".[2]

The operation commander was Yigal Allon and his deputy was Yitzhak Rabin. The total force numbered around 6,000 soldiers.[3]

Name

The operation was named after Palmach officer Daniel "Dani" Mass, who had fallen on January 16, 1948, while commanding a relief action known as "Convoy of 35".

Objectives

The first phase of Operation Dani was to capture the cities of Lydda and Ramle, located on the road to Jerusalem, southeast of Tel Aviv. Ramle was one of the main obstacles blocking Jewish transportation.[4] From the start of the war, Lydda and Ramle militiamen had attacked Jewish traffic on nearby roads.[5] Ramle became a focal point for blocking Jewish transportation, forcing traffic from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv to a southern bypass.[6]

The second phase was to capture the fort at Latrun and break through Ramallah. The operation was carried out under Palmach command using the Yiftach Brigade, the Harel Brigade, the 8th Armored Brigade and two battalions from the Kiryati and Alexandroni brigades.

Lydda and Ramle

See main article: 1948 Palestinian expulsion from Lydda and Ramle.

On 9 July units from the Yiftach Brigade began approaching Ramle from the south. At the same time troops from the other brigades began attacking villages north of Lydda. Caught in a pincer movement and with only a token Arab Legion presence the two towns were captured the following day. This put Lydda airport and the strategic railway station at Ramle in Israeli hands. Two days after the capture of Lydda and Ramle only a few hundred of the 50,000 to 70,000 residents remained in the two towns.

Latrun

See main article: Battles of Latrun (1948).

The second phase of the operation failed after several costly attacks on Arab Legion positions at Latrun and the threat of a UN-imposed cease-fire.[7]

Casualties

The Palmach record the names of ninety-one of its members killed during this Operation. Forty-four were killed at Khirbet Kurikur on 18 July 1948. Seven were killed in the capture of Lydda.[8]

Palestinian Arab communities captured

NameDateDefending forcesBrigadePopulation
Dayr Tarif9 July 1948Arab LegionArmoured Brigade
Kiryati Brigade
1,750
Al-Tira10 July 1948n/aAlexandroni Brigade
8th Armoured Brigade
1,290
Daniyal10 July 1948n/aYiftach Brigade410
Kharruba10 July 1948n/aYiftach Brigade170
al-Barriyya9–10 July 1948n/an/a510
'Innaba10 July 1948200 villagersYiftach Brigade
8th Brigade
1,420
10 July 1948n/aYiftach Brigade1,150
Rantiya10 July 1948n/a8th Armoured Brigade
3rd Battalion, Alexandroni Brigade
590
Lydda11 July 1948n/a3rd Battalion, Yiftah Brigadesee Ramle
Al-Jura11 July 1948n/an/a420
Al-Muzayri'a12 July 1948n/an/a1,160
Ramle12 July 1948Arab Legion withdrewKiryati Brigade50–70,000 combined with Lydda
including 15,000 refugees from Jaffa
Majdal Yaba12 July 1948Iraqi army2nd Battalion, Alexandroni Brigade1,520
Al-Haditha12 July 1948n/an/a760
Abu al-Fadl12–13 July 1948n/an/a510
Suba, Jerusalem12–13 July 1948"bloodless"Har'el Brigade620
Khirbat al-Lawz13–14 July 1948n/aHar'el Brigade450
Sar'a13–14 July 1948Egyptian forces4th Battalion Har'el Brigade340
Sataf13–14 July 1948n/aHar'el Brigade540
al-Maliha14–16 July 1948Egyptian irregulars
Palestinian militia
Irgun
Palmach Youth
1,940
al-Burj15 July 1948Arab Legionn/a480
Kh al-Buwayramid July 1948n/an/a190
Salbit15–16 July 1948Arab Legion2nd Battalion, Kiryati Brigade510
Bayt Nabala15–16 July 1948Arab Legion
150-200 men
n/a2,310
Bir Ma'in15–16 July 1948Arab LegionYiftach Brigade
1st & 2nd Battalions
510
Barfiliya15–16 July 1948n/aGivati and Kiryati Brigades
8th Armoured
730
Kasla16 July 1948n/aHar'el Brigade280
Dayr 'Amr Boys Farm16 July 1948none4th Battalion Har'el Brigade10
Ishwa'16 July 1948n/a4th Battalion Har'el Brigade620
Artuf17–18 July 1948Palestinian militia
under Egyptian command
4th Battalion Har'el Brigade350
Islin18 July 1948n/an/a260
Shilta18 July 1948Arab Legion1st Battalion, Yiftach Brigade
lost 44 men withdrawing
100

Units

See also

Notes and References

  1. Chaim Herzog, 'The Arab-Israeli Wars' (1982). page 80: 'A blow against the Arab Legion was the essence of Operation 'Danny' planned as the main Israeli offensive to be mounted on the resumption of hostilities.'
  2. Book: 1948. 978-0300145243. Morris. Benny. October 2008. Yale University Press .
  3. Book: Kimche. Jon. Kimche. David. 1960. A Clash of Destinies. The Arab-Jewish War and the Founding of the State of Israel. Frederick A. Praeger. 60-6996. 1348948. 225. largest force yet assembled under one Israeli..
  4. Golan, Arnon. "Lydda and Ramle: from Palestinian-Arab to Israeli towns, 1948-67," Middle Eastern Studies, October 1, 2003
  5. Morris 2004, p. 424
  6. https://web.archive.org/web/20121105040320/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-111203784.html Lydda and Ramle: from Palestinian-Arab to Israeli towns, 1948-67
  7. Herzog, page 82.
  8. Web site: פלמ"ח. 2010-11-23. https://web.archive.org/web/20120601071247/http://www.palmach.org.il/show_item.asp?itemId=8519&levelId=42855&itemType=0. 2012-06-01. dead.
  9. Herzog, page 80.
  10. Moshe Dayan, 'My Life.' (1976). Page 103.