Bombing execution of Akhziv Bridge
While the squads deployed based on their duties, and the covering squad moved to place, an unexpected fire opened in their direction.
While the squads deployed based on their duties, and the covering squad moved to place, an unexpected fire opened in their direction. It came from the rooftop of a well structure near the southern end of the railway-bridge. According to early scouting, the place was unguarded. The change may have stemmed from the information they received from the three Arabs they came across. The guards may have decided spend the night on the aired rooftop of the well structure than in the stifling police building (as they later told the 'Mista'arvim.')
Yechiam Veits took the first hit. Zohara Levitov, the radio operator-paramedic (the only woman who participated in the operation; she was killed in the War of Independence, when her plane was downed over the Jerusalem Mountains) rushed to his help but his injury was critical. The covering squad returned fire at the Arabs, and the saboteurs began moving towards the bridges in order to prepare them for the bombing. Meanwhile, Yehuda Gavish and Chaim Meitsner (Magen) were also hit, since the firing towards Palmach members intensified by the joined fires of the bridge and station guards. At the same time, squad forces blocked the road leading to the bridges from north and south and removed Arab residents that lived in the area. The demolition carriers arrived at the railway-bridge, but only three warriors made it to the road-bridge (which was planned to explode first) due to the heavy artillery. Nechemia Shine ordered the warriors gathered around the bridge to disassemble and take their positions. Just then, presumably, a bullet hit one of the demolition charges under the railway bridge, and a great explosion occurred. It was 23:05: The railroad-bridge was completely destroyed. 13 warriors that were nearby were killed.
Yechiam Veits took the first hit. Zohara Levitov, the radio operator-paramedic (the only woman who participated in the operation; she was killed in the War of Independence, when her plane was downed over the Jerusalem Mountains) rushed to his help but his injury was critical. The covering squad returned fire at the Arabs, and the saboteurs began moving towards the bridges in order to prepare them for the bombing. Meanwhile, Yehuda Gavish and Chaim Meitsner (Magen) were also hit, since the firing towards Palmach members intensified by the joined fires of the bridge and station guards. At the same time, squad forces blocked the road leading to the bridges from north and south and removed Arab residents that lived in the area. The demolition carriers arrived at the railway-bridge, but only three warriors made it to the road-bridge (which was planned to explode first) due to the heavy artillery. Nechemia Shine ordered the warriors gathered around the bridge to disassemble and take their positions. Just then, presumably, a bullet hit one of the demolition charges under the railway bridge, and a great explosion occurred. It was 23:05: The railroad-bridge was completely destroyed. 13 warriors that were nearby were killed.