The Assault on Tirat Zvi
In the middle of February 1948 a unit of the "Rescue Army" attempted to capture Kibbutz Tirat Zvi to the south of Emek Beit She'an.
In the middle of February 1948 a unit of the "Rescue Army" attempted to capture Kibbutz Tirat Zvi to the south of Emeq Beit She'an. The attacking force made its way from its base in Samaria and reached its points of deployment. At midnight on the night of 15-16.2.1948 Arab sappers blew up the bridges on the main roads to Tirat Zvi, to prevent reinforcements from arriving. Two hours later the settlements of Sde Eliyahu and Ein Hanetziv were fired upon, as a diversionary tactic. At 03.00 'Intelligence Service of the Haganah (SHAI)
warned the commander of Tirat Zvi by means of light signals that the Arabs were organizing for an attack, and all the defenders were immediately positioned to ward off the attackers.
The attacking force was organized into a holding force which positioned mortars and machine- guns around the kibbutz except for the southern side, and a strike force consisting of four companies – altogether 500 – 600 fighters, and acted from all directions. The attack on the kibbutz started at about 4.00, with shooting from all directions, lasting about an hour. The enemy planned to hold the western part, while attempting to break into the kibbutz from the south and east. As dawn approached, and with heavy rain falling, the Arabs launched a general assault from all directions, with the defenders firing precise shots from their positions. The main assault was executed from the west, and the attackers, who had difficulty advancing in the mud, reached a distance of 100 m from the fence. However, the machine-gun which the defenders operated caused them losses and they began withdrawing.
At this stage a platoon of fighters arrived from the north-west to strengthen the defense, attacked the Arab (covering force from the flank at Tel al Faraj and silenced them.
At 07.30 the attackers began withdrawing in complete disarray. A unit of Arab sappers which tried to penetrate the kibbutz was expelled, leaving behind a number of dead. An Arab machine-gun position was destroyed by a blast from a mortar fired from the kibbutz.
British Army soldiers arrived on the scene and remained in the area for several hours during the afternoon whilst demanding that the Arabs leave their positions. This offered the Arabs an honorable way to exit, of whom about 60 had been killed and many wounded. From among the kibbutz defenders, one member was killed.
Questions:
Did the field combat corps “mataz” and “shada” attack before or during the Arab assault? This is not clear.
Who surprised the Arab diversionary force from the west?
Why did the divisions from “mabhashat” and “taa”"rush" by foot to give aid?
Who commanded all the forces? Was there coordination between them?
The reasons for the attackers' failure:
*Their fighters were unable to charge.
*The defenders' firing power caused the enemy heavy losses.
*The appearance of mobile forces of the defenders at the rear of the enemy compelled it to withdraw.
*The rain and mud made it hard for the attackers to move.
warned the commander of Tirat Zvi by means of light signals that the Arabs were organizing for an attack, and all the defenders were immediately positioned to ward off the attackers.
The attacking force was organized into a holding force which positioned mortars and machine- guns around the kibbutz except for the southern side, and a strike force consisting of four companies – altogether 500 – 600 fighters, and acted from all directions. The attack on the kibbutz started at about 4.00, with shooting from all directions, lasting about an hour. The enemy planned to hold the western part, while attempting to break into the kibbutz from the south and east. As dawn approached, and with heavy rain falling, the Arabs launched a general assault from all directions, with the defenders firing precise shots from their positions. The main assault was executed from the west, and the attackers, who had difficulty advancing in the mud, reached a distance of 100 m from the fence. However, the machine-gun which the defenders operated caused them losses and they began withdrawing.
At this stage a platoon of fighters arrived from the north-west to strengthen the defense, attacked the Arab (covering force from the flank at Tel al Faraj and silenced them.
At 07.30 the attackers began withdrawing in complete disarray. A unit of Arab sappers which tried to penetrate the kibbutz was expelled, leaving behind a number of dead. An Arab machine-gun position was destroyed by a blast from a mortar fired from the kibbutz.
British Army soldiers arrived on the scene and remained in the area for several hours during the afternoon whilst demanding that the Arabs leave their positions. This offered the Arabs an honorable way to exit, of whom about 60 had been killed and many wounded. From among the kibbutz defenders, one member was killed.
Questions:
Did the field combat corps “mataz” and “shada” attack before or during the Arab assault? This is not clear.
Who surprised the Arab diversionary force from the west?
Why did the divisions from “mabhashat” and “taa”"rush" by foot to give aid?
Who commanded all the forces? Was there coordination between them?
The reasons for the attackers' failure:
*Their fighters were unable to charge.
*The defenders' firing power caused the enemy heavy losses.
*The appearance of mobile forces of the defenders at the rear of the enemy compelled it to withdraw.
*The rain and mud made it hard for the attackers to move.