The First Lebanon War began on June 6, 1982 when Israeli forces invaded that country following repeated attacks by the Palestinians there against military targets and civilians inside Israel. The reason was the attempted assassination of the Israeli ambassador to Britain by a Palestinian terrorist. The war was fought on the one hand by Israel with the Christians of Lebanon as allies and on the other by Syria, the Palestinians, the Muslims of Lebanon and various left-wing organizations of the country.
The Battle of Jenin was the first regular engagement of the said war and took place in the Lebanese city of the same name. Jenin has been a strategic point in the region since ancient times, as the routes to the Bekaa Valley passed through it and continue to pass through it. For this reason, a Syrian infantry battalion, the 424th, was stationed in the city. On June 7 the Syrians spotted Israeli forces moving into the area and reinforced the 424th with commando companies and a tank detachment.
These forces were deployed in ambush along the road leading to Janine. On the evening of June 8, then Israeli Defense Minister Ariel Sharon informed the Northern Command that Syrian forces had taken up positions in Lebanon. However, the Israelis did not know that the Syrian forces in Jenin had been reinforced and of course they had no idea about the ambush.
Chariots in a city
The Israeli division that had advanced to the area was nevertheless ordered to move as quickly as possible to seize the roads to the city. The Israelis moved by maneuvering , avoiding intersections and in the early hours of June 8 they approached the city. The Israeli general left a covering force behind and moved with the rest of his forces directly north.
The covering force spotted the Syrians and opened fire on them but without attacking them. The Syrians destroyed two Israeli tanks. Meanwhile an Israeli drone spotted a Syrian force moving through the Suf Mountains towards Jenin which was accurately hit by the Israeli air force. Thus the Syrian forces in Jenin could not be reinforced. It is worth noting that the Syrian anti-aircraft missile arrays were not activated apparently for fear of being detected.
In the morning the Israeli 460th Armored Brigade under Colonel Cohen crossed the Litani River. The 460th TTHT was initially ordered to move on the Byrittos - Damascus road. But as the conflict in Jenin progressed the brigade was ordered to turn there and attack the Syrian forces holding the city. However, Cohen had no infantry division, no artillery, only tanks. He himself asked for reinforcements, but was ordered to attack immediately.
That's what he did, throwing into the battle a company of his 198th Epilarchy. As the Israeli tanks entered the city center they came under fire from portable anti-tank launchers , but suffered no significant losses. Three Syrian T-62 tanks that attempted to intervene were immediately destroyed. But the Israeli tanks came under fire from Syrian commandos equipped with Sagger anti-tank missiles. The rockets knocked out three Israeli tanks.
New attack
After this development the Israeli general retreated and took positions at the two ends of the city with the Syrians inside. Cohen also threw his second division into the fray, the 196th, which rushed to the front. However, due to bad judgment, one of her ships was led to the wrong place where it was exposed to the fire of the Syrian tanks. Two Israeli tanks were destroyed. The rest remained there providing covering fire for the other Israeli forces who were now ordered to attack the city.
The rest of the Israeli islands rushed out again. Captain Maor's company captured the village of Huna, near the city, and he and his tank destroyed six Syrian T-62s that were ambushed there in excellently prepared positions. But then Maor's chariot was fatally hit by a Syrian chariot. Everyone inside an Israeli tank was killed. The Syrian chariot was also destroyed, shortly afterwards.
At night the battle continued. But the Israeli charioteers dismounted from their chariots and fought as infantry defeating the Syrian commandos and capturing the city! The capture of the city convinced Syrian leader Hafez al-Assad to send the 3rd Armored Division and commando battalions to the area. At the same time it deployed five additional anti-aircraft missile arrays in Lebanon – a total of 19 arrays were deployed.
On June 9 the Israelis launched Operation Mole Cricket 19, shooting down at least 82 Syrian aircraft and destroying 29 missile arrays, against zero Israeli casualties. In the battle of Jenin the Israelis had six dead. Four of their tanks were destroyed and another five were damaged. The Syrians claimed the destruction of 10 Israeli tanks. On the other hand, the Syrians lost 20 tanks, while another four were damaged. Three armored vehicles were also destroyed. A Syrian commando unit was completely destroyed.