In 1970, Egypt and Israel were not, typically, at war. In fact, however, the hostilities had not ceased after the Six Day War. This phase, called the "War of Attrition", continued for years on land, air and sea.
Having been defeated state by state and having lost the Sinai Peninsula, the Egyptians refused to accept their defeat with the Israelis trying to... "convince" them.
The "Rhodes" Company is included in this context. The Israelis decided to attack the small island of Sandwan, located just south of the Sinai peninsula. The Egyptians had installed a radar station there. The objective of the operation was the destruction of the station and the capture of Egyptian prisoners both for information gathering and for exchange with Israeli prisoners.
The mission to capture the island was undertaken by the 202nd Parachute Battalion and the elite Reconnaissance Company of the Parachute Brigade, the latter under Captain Moti Paz.
The Egyptian garrison on the island was limited in numbers. There were 60 Egyptian commandos and 40 more Egyptian navy men. The stronghold of the guard was a lighthouse with the surrounding buildings and nine other outposts – strongholds.
Excursion
On the morning of January 22, 1970 the operation began with a raid by 12 Israeli A-4 Skyhawks against Egyptian positions on the island, which caused casualties. The most important thing was that the Egyptian head of the guard was killed by the attack, leaving him headless.
A short time later Israeli paratroopers were in the air aboard Bell 205 and SA-321K Super Frelon helicopters. At 09.15 the Israelis had set foot on the island. The men of the 202nd Battalion immediately attacked the Egyptian positions. The Egyptians refused the Israeli offer to lay down their arms and resisted.
Within an hour, however, only three outposts could still withstand them at a cost to the Israelis of a single dead person. Captain Paz's men attempted to flank the Egyptian positions from the west but fell into a minefield.
Lieutenant Bat Lew was killed and several men of the elite company were wounded. After this the company was withdrawn. However, at 10.30 Israeli reinforcements under Colonel Yaron arrived on the island. At 12.00 a new attack by the Israelis resulted in the capture of the lighthouse but not of the surrounding buildings. The head of the Israeli strike group, Lt. Kotler, was wounded.
Finally at 12.57 all resistance stopped, as the Israelis cleared all the buildings with grenades. Wounded Kotler and a seriously injured Egyptian officer were airlifted to Sinai. But the brave Egyptian officer – who had continued to fight completely alone – expired in hospital.
The Egyptian strongholds "Dafna" and "Nvora" which continued to resist were captured at 14.15 and 15.30 respectively with the cooperation of the air force. Of the defenders, 17 men were killed and 14 captured. Several more Egyptians were captured in other parts of the island. The battle was over.
The Egyptians tried to react impulsively. In the first phase, they sent two of their torpedo boats towards the island, but they were spotted and sunk by Israeli A-4s. Then a lone Soviet-made Il-28 bomber bombed the island without causing any casualties to the Israelis.
Overnight stay and evacuation
The Israelis remained on the island all night undisturbed. At 11.50 the next morning they received the order to leave after first destroying everything except the lighthouse. The last Israeli helicopter left the island at 14:40 on 23 January. The Israelis took with them 62 Egyptian prisoners, parts of the Decca radar there and ammunition.
The operation had cost them three dead and seven wounded. The dead Egyptians, according to Israeli sources, reached 70, including the crews of the two torpedo boats that were lost. The Egyptians admitted 80 casualties in total.
Cairo also reported that the Israelis "attempted" to land on the island and that they had lost 30 men and two of their aircraft. Despite the propaganda announcements, Egyptian President Nasser knew the truth and after the operation immediately asked for help from the Soviet Union.