Raid on the PLO Headquarters in Tunis
(October 1, 1985)
On Saturday, September 25, 1985, three Israeli citizens were
murdered in cold blood on their yacht in Larnaca, Cyprus. The
killers were terrorists belonging to Force 17, an operational arm
closely associated with the PLO leadership.
Israel decided to retaliate by striking back at those directly
responsible. The IAF was assigned with the longest air strike in
its history, against the PLO headquarters (HQ) in Tunis.
The main challenge was the distance: 1,280 miles each way.
Planners had to account for in-flight refueling, communications
and rescue contingencies, as well as physiological
considerations.
The PLO complex at Hamam-a-Shatt on the Tunisian coast
included Yasir Arafat's HQ, the offices of his senior advisors,
the offices of Force 17, and the organization's operations,
communications, and public relations offices.
The critical air-to-air refueling went without a hitch. As the
F-15 Eagle jets approached the coastline, it became apparent that
the weather, which had worried mission planners, would not pose a
problem. Each pilot identified his target and released his bombs
as planned. Arafat's headquarters took a direct hit. The other
targets were either damaged, or destroyed, including the barracks
of Force 17.
The IAF succeeded in reminding its enemies that Israel holds
them accountable for their actions, no matter where they may
hide.
Sources: Israel Defense Forces |