Yiftah Brigade combat in the Hirbet Maahaz sector
Yiftah Brigade occupied the hills and Hirbet Maahaz south-east of the "Avak" (dust) route in order to prevent the advance of the Egyptian artillery forces on the route near kibbutz Ruhama. The Egyptians responded by organizing infantry, armored, artillery and reserve forces from Falujah. The army posts were passed from one force to another during a week of fighting until eventually the Egyptians retreated leaving the Yiftah Brigade to secure the route.
Iftach Brigade - Brigade Headquarters
Iftach Brigade - The First Battalion - 2
Iftach Brigade - The First Battalion - 3
Iftach Brigade - The First Battalion - 4
Iftach Brigade - Third Battalion - 2
Iftach Brigade - Third Battalion - 3
Iftach Brigade - Third Battalion - 4
The Egyptians discovered the location of the airfield that enabled contact between the besieged Negev and the rest of the country and considered it a threat. Yiftah Brigade Commander, Mula Cohen, ordered the third Battalion to occupy the army posts along the road leading from Falujah to Be'er-Sheba in order to prevent the Egyptians from sabotaging the airfield.
The occupation of the "Tel's": on the night of the 8th of September, after discovering trenches in Tel Malicha, a first Battalion force led by Pinchas 'Siko' Zusman occupied Tel-Qunetra, Tel-Najila and Tel-Malicha east and west of the 'Avak' (dust) field, and thus threatening the Falujah area..
On the morning of the 8th of September, Egyptian forces advanced toward Tel- Qunetra, bombarding it by noon and were driven away by the defenders by afternoon.
Two days later, the defenders drove away 2 more attacks.
On the 16th of September, the Yiftah Brigade occupied Tel-Chasi and on the 23rd of September, the first Brigade replaced the third Brigade in the occupancy of the hills. On the 30th of September, the force occupying Tel-Najila was transferred to Hirbet Maahaz in order to secure the road leading from Tel-Qunetra south.
The battles of Hirbet Maahaz: on the afternoon of the 1.10.48, an Egyptian task force under the command of Abdul Nazer, including 2 infantry companies, 6 half-tracks and 2 armored vehicles attacked the army post under the protection of heavy artillery fire.
The Palmach Company retreated to Tel-Najila after the the Commander was wounded, his deputy killed and the Commander of the 81 mm. team was wounded as well.
On the night of the 2.1.48, Battalion Commander, Asaf Simchoni ordered Platoon Commander, Yitzhak Chofi to occupy Hirbet Maahaz army posts. Joined by a force from the first Battalion, the force attacked and occupied the army post under the protection of 65 mm. cannons. On the 3.10.48, a reinforced Company under the command of Dov Gutman was sent to defend the army post. The sabotage division planted mines on the road leading to the post and around the post itself. The Commander of the armored unit, Uzi Me'erson was to secure the Battalion fortifying units. Meanwhile, The Egyptian third division H.Q. decided to reoccupy the army posts and Arab forces began organizing around the hills.
On the afternoon of the 4th of October the army post was attacked by a large Arab force, numbering 400 fighters only to be driven away by the defenders. The Company defending the army post suffered 3 casualties and 3 other were wounded.
On the 5.10.48, the army post was attacked 4 times and each of the attacks failed.
At 16:00 PM, an Egyptian armored force managed to approach the post undetected and occupy it. The defenders retreated under the protection of artillery and half-track fire along with 10 wounded and leaving behind 2 casualties, 3 wounded and weapons. Brigade Commander, Mula Cohen ordered Battalion Commander Simchoni to organize a counter attack. The force included a Forward Unit (a Platoon "mounted" on half-tracks and a squad on foot) and a Auxiliary Unit including five 65 mm. cannons and a support Company with two 81 mm. mortars and 2 MMG's. The support unit began bombarding the post at 18:30 PM and the forward unit managed to occupy the post by 19:00 PM without any casualties. Fifty fighters from the first Platoon of the 4th Company under the command of Moshe Horowitz replaced the forward unit during the night.
Infantry and armored forces reached the post on the following day and saboteurs planted mines in the surrounding area. The enemy organized a force in Tel-Qubia and Falujah including: 6 light tanks, 26 'Bren' carriers, 20 armored vehicles and 30 trucks full of fighters.
On the morning of the 7.10.48, 2 armored companies attacked and bombarded the post using 25 pound cannons and mortars. By noon the defenders managed to drive away 3 attacks. The Yiftah armored unit, deprived of its weapons, attacked the Egyptian armored forces, driving the Egyptian infantry away. By afternoon, Egyptian aircraft attacked and severely damaged Hirbet Maahaz, supporting weapons posts, Tel-Najila, 'Avak' (dust) airfield and kibbutz Ruhama. Givati armored forces responded by attacking Egyptian convoys. 4 fighters died that day, one was killed while planting land mines around the army post and many weapons were lost to the Egyptian forces. Company b became responsible for the army posts defense that same night. On the morning of the 10.10.48, two armored vehicles and one transport vehicle carrying men arrived 2 km from the post, only to retreat when Yiftah members opened fire.
Hirbet Maahaz was finally occupied by the Yiftah Brigade, after a week of fighting during which the army post was occupied and reoccupied several times. On the 13th of October, Garrison units from the Negev district replaced the Yiftah forces occupying the army posts.
The occupation of the "Tel's": on the night of the 8th of September, after discovering trenches in Tel Malicha, a first Battalion force led by Pinchas 'Siko' Zusman occupied Tel-Qunetra, Tel-Najila and Tel-Malicha east and west of the 'Avak' (dust) field, and thus threatening the Falujah area..
On the morning of the 8th of September, Egyptian forces advanced toward Tel- Qunetra, bombarding it by noon and were driven away by the defenders by afternoon.
Two days later, the defenders drove away 2 more attacks.
On the 16th of September, the Yiftah Brigade occupied Tel-Chasi and on the 23rd of September, the first Brigade replaced the third Brigade in the occupancy of the hills. On the 30th of September, the force occupying Tel-Najila was transferred to Hirbet Maahaz in order to secure the road leading from Tel-Qunetra south.
The battles of Hirbet Maahaz: on the afternoon of the 1.10.48, an Egyptian task force under the command of Abdul Nazer, including 2 infantry companies, 6 half-tracks and 2 armored vehicles attacked the army post under the protection of heavy artillery fire.
The Palmach Company retreated to Tel-Najila after the the Commander was wounded, his deputy killed and the Commander of the 81 mm. team was wounded as well.
On the night of the 2.1.48, Battalion Commander, Asaf Simchoni ordered Platoon Commander, Yitzhak Chofi to occupy Hirbet Maahaz army posts. Joined by a force from the first Battalion, the force attacked and occupied the army post under the protection of 65 mm. cannons. On the 3.10.48, a reinforced Company under the command of Dov Gutman was sent to defend the army post. The sabotage division planted mines on the road leading to the post and around the post itself. The Commander of the armored unit, Uzi Me'erson was to secure the Battalion fortifying units. Meanwhile, The Egyptian third division H.Q. decided to reoccupy the army posts and Arab forces began organizing around the hills.
On the afternoon of the 4th of October the army post was attacked by a large Arab force, numbering 400 fighters only to be driven away by the defenders. The Company defending the army post suffered 3 casualties and 3 other were wounded.
On the 5.10.48, the army post was attacked 4 times and each of the attacks failed.
At 16:00 PM, an Egyptian armored force managed to approach the post undetected and occupy it. The defenders retreated under the protection of artillery and half-track fire along with 10 wounded and leaving behind 2 casualties, 3 wounded and weapons. Brigade Commander, Mula Cohen ordered Battalion Commander Simchoni to organize a counter attack. The force included a Forward Unit (a Platoon "mounted" on half-tracks and a squad on foot) and a Auxiliary Unit including five 65 mm. cannons and a support Company with two 81 mm. mortars and 2 MMG's. The support unit began bombarding the post at 18:30 PM and the forward unit managed to occupy the post by 19:00 PM without any casualties. Fifty fighters from the first Platoon of the 4th Company under the command of Moshe Horowitz replaced the forward unit during the night.
Infantry and armored forces reached the post on the following day and saboteurs planted mines in the surrounding area. The enemy organized a force in Tel-Qubia and Falujah including: 6 light tanks, 26 'Bren' carriers, 20 armored vehicles and 30 trucks full of fighters.
On the morning of the 7.10.48, 2 armored companies attacked and bombarded the post using 25 pound cannons and mortars. By noon the defenders managed to drive away 3 attacks. The Yiftah armored unit, deprived of its weapons, attacked the Egyptian armored forces, driving the Egyptian infantry away. By afternoon, Egyptian aircraft attacked and severely damaged Hirbet Maahaz, supporting weapons posts, Tel-Najila, 'Avak' (dust) airfield and kibbutz Ruhama. Givati armored forces responded by attacking Egyptian convoys. 4 fighters died that day, one was killed while planting land mines around the army post and many weapons were lost to the Egyptian forces. Company b became responsible for the army posts defense that same night. On the morning of the 10.10.48, two armored vehicles and one transport vehicle carrying men arrived 2 km from the post, only to retreat when Yiftah members opened fire.
Hirbet Maahaz was finally occupied by the Yiftah Brigade, after a week of fighting during which the army post was occupied and reoccupied several times. On the 13th of October, Garrison units from the Negev district replaced the Yiftah forces occupying the army posts.