Operation Danny

Operation Danny
Part of 1948 Arab–Israeli War
The strategically important airport at Lydda following its capture by the IDF in July 1948
Date July 9–19, 1948 Location West of Tel Aviv Result IDF succeed in capturing Ramle, Lydda and surrounding villages. Failed to capture Latrun
Belligerents
Israel (IDF)	Transjordan (Arab Legion)
Commanders and leaders
Yigal Alon Yitzhak Rabin	Glubb Pasha
Strength
6,000

Yitzhak Sadeh (left) and Yigal Allon, 1948

Operation Danny (Hebrew: מבצע דני‎, Mivtza Dani) was an Israeli military offensive launched 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]

It was launched at the end of the first truce, July 9–19, 1948. The operation was named after Danny Mass, the commander of the "Convoy of 35". The operation commander was Yigal Allon and his deputy was Yitzhak Rabin. The total force numbered around 6,000 men.^[2]

Objectives

The first phase of Operation Danny 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.^[3] From the start of the war, Lydda and Ramle militiamen had attacked Jewish traffic on nearby roads.^[4] Ramle became a focal point for blocking Jewish transportation, forcing traffic from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv to a southern bypass.^[5]

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 Exodus from Lydda)

On 9 July units from the Yiftach Brigade began approaching Ramle from the south. At the same time troops form 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 Battles of Latrun)

Road from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

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.^[6]

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.^[7]

Palestinian communities captured

(Most of the villages were systematically destroyed shortly after capture)

Name	Date	Defending forces	Brigade	Population
Dayr Tarif	9 July 1948	Arab Legion	Armoured Brigade Kiryati Brigade	1,750
Al-Tira	10 July 1948	n/a	Alexandroni Brigade 8th Armoured Brigade	1,290
Daniyal	10 July 1948	n/a	Yiftach Brigade	410
Kharruba	10 July 1948	n/a	Yiftach Brigade	170
al-Barriyya	9–10 July 1948	n/a	n/a	510
'Innaba	10 July 1948	200 villagers	Yiftach Brigade 8th Brigade	1,420
Jimzu	10 July 1948	n/a	Yiftach Brigade	1,150
Rantiya	10 July 1948	n/a	8th Armoured Brigade 3rd Battalion, Alexandroni Brigade	590
Lydda	11 July 1948	n/a	3rd Battalion, Yiftah Brigade	see Ramle
Al-Jura	11 July 1948	n/a	n/a	420
Al-Muzayri'a	12 July 1948	n/a	n/a	1,160
Ramle	12 July 1948	Arab Legion withdrew	Kiryati Brigade	50-70,000 combined with Lydda including 15,000 refugees from Jaffa
Majdal Yaba	12 July 1948	Iraqi army	2nd Battalion, Alexandroni Brigade	1,520
Al-Haditha	12 July 1948	n/a	n/a	760
Abu al-Fadl	12–13 July 1948	n/a	n/a	510
Suba, Jerusalem	12–13 July 1948	"bloodless"	Har'el Brigade	620
Khirbat al-Lawz	13–14 July 1948	n/a	Har'el Brigade	450
Sar'a	13–14 July 1948	Egyptian forces	4th Battalion Har'el Brigade	340
Sataf	13–14 July 1948	n/a	Har'el Brigade	540
al-Maliha	14–16 July 1948	Egyptian irregulars Palestinian militia	Irgun Palmach Youth	1,940
al-Burj	15 July 1948	Arab Legion	n/a	480
Kh al-Buwayra	mid July 1948	n/a	n/a	190
Salbit	15–16 July 1948	Arab Legion	2nd Battalion, Kiryati Brigade	510
Bayt Nabala	15–16 July 1948	Arab Legion 150-200 men	n/a	2,310
Bir Ma'in	15–16 July 1948	Arab Legion	Yiftach Brigade 1st & 2nd Battalions	510
Barfiliya	15–16 July 1948	n/a	Givati and Kiryati Brigades 8th Armoured	730
Kasla	16 July 1948	n/a	Har'el Brigade	280
Dayr 'Amr Boys Farm	16 July 1948	none	4th Battalion Har'el Brigade	10
Ishwa'	16 July 1948	n/a	4th Battalion Har'el Brigade	620
Artuf	17–18 July 1948	Palestinian militia under Egyptian command	4th Battalion Har'el Brigade	350
Islin	18 July 1948	n/a	n/a	260
Shilta	18 July 1948	Arab Legion	1st Battalion, Yiftach Brigade lost 44 men withdrawing	100
Sources: Walid Khalidi, All That Remains, ISBN 0 88728 224 5 Benny Morris, The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem, 1947–1949, ISBN 0 521 33028 9

Units

• Overall Commander: Yigal Allon
• 8th Armored Brigade Commander Yitzhak Sadeh^[8]
• Alexandroni Brigade
• Kiryati Brigade (two battalions)
• Yiftach Brigade Commander Mula Cohen ^[9]

See also

• List of Israeli military operations in the 1948 Arab-Israeli war
• Exodus from Lydda

References

1. ^ Chaim Herzog, 'The Arab-Israeli Wars' ISBN 0 85368 367 0 (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. ^ Kimche, Jon and David (1960) A Clash of Destinies. The Arab-Jewish War and the Founding of the State of Israel. Frederick A. Praeger. Library of Congress number 60-6996. Page 225:"largest force yet assembled under one Israeli."
3. ^ Golan, Arnon. "Lydda and Ramle: from Palestinian-Arab to Israeli towns, 1948-67," Middle Eastern Studies, October 1, 2003
4. ^ Morris 2004, p. 424
5. ^ Lydda and Ramle: from Palestinian-Arab to Israeli towns, 1948-67. by Golan, Arnon
6. ^ Herzog, page 82.
7. ^ http://www.palmach.org.il/show_item.asp?itemId=8519&levelId=42855&itemType=0
8. ^ Herzog, page 80.
9. ^ Moshe Dayan, 'My Life.' ISBN 0 688 03076 9 (1976). Page 103.