After the Six Day War, Israel's conflicts with the Arab countries continued "informally". Especially with Egypt the attacks on both sides, ventures and incidents lasted until 1970 in what became known as the "War of Attrition".
In 1968 Egyptian artillery launched a heavy bombardment against Israeli positions in Suez killing 25 Israeli soldiers. Israel decided to respond with a strong blow against Egyptian infrastructure.
The mission would be undertaken by the scout company of the Israeli Parachute Brigade Sayeret Tzanhanim . Their target would be Kenna Bridge and the Dam and Power Plant at Nag Hammadi , a city about 80 km northwest of Luxor, deep in the Egyptian interior.
To carry out their mission the Israeli paratroopers would have to cover a distance of 700 km to reach their targets and another as much to return to friendly soil... The raid would be carried out by 14 Israeli paratroopers, under Matan Vilnai who would were transported, together with the necessary material, by four Super Frelon helicopters to the target area.
Two helicopters would carry the men and two the bombs to be placed on the Khenna Bridge and the Nag Hammadi Dam. Three other helicopters were on standby just in case. To destroy the "hard" targets the helicopters would carry 1,000 pound bombs which would be dropped floating over the bridge and dam and activated by a time-delay fuze.
The Israeli paratroopers did not think they would return from the raid but no one did. Before departure they all dined together "having the feeling of near death" , as reported by Vinlai.
Flight to glory or death
On the evening of October 31, 1968, the helicopters took off. After a three-hour flight, the Israelis found themselves over the area . The paratroopers landed at a point not too close to the power plant. Loaded with explosives they ran towards it. When they arrived Vilnai climbed the fence wall first with the help of his men.
But he found himself in front of an Egyptian guard and was forced to open fire. The Egyptian put it on his feet, trembling and shouting. In the meantime, the other Israelis had entered and quickly killed the four guards with Uzis. At the same time the two helicopters with the bombs were lowering them with a small crane onto the dam and the bridge. At exactly 22.00 the two bombs exploded and destroyed the targets.
At the factory, however, the Egyptians reacted. The paratroopers were fighting for their lives. However, they managed to plant the explosives in seven of the nine high-voltage transformers by blowing them up. Soon the helicopters arrived and picked them up for the return journey. None of them were even injured.
The next day an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft photographed the area and thus it was possible to estimate the damage that had been done. The Qena bridge had been completely destroyed, the dam had suffered very serious damage and the factory was out of order, with the result that Cairo was not it has electricity. The Egyptians were also forced to send strong forces to the Nile Valley, easing the pressure on Suez.