See main article: 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine and 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
See also: Operation Nachshon. On May 13, 1948, a day before the state of Israel was proclaimed, the Haganah launched Operation Shfifon (lit. Operation Cerastes Cerastes) with the aim of capturing the British outposts in the Old City of Jerusalem and preventing the Arab forces from taking control of them first. Such an eventuality had long been anticipated, and plans prepared called Operation Shfifon ('horned viper'; some translate it as 'Serpent') and quickly followed by Operation Kilshon.[1]
