Chapter 238
Chapter 238
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Fourth Middle East War (2)
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As soon as the war broke out, the Israeli Air Force launched a surprise attack on Syrian and Egyptian airfields.
"Huh?"
The Arab Federation, never imagining Israel would strike first, was caught flat-footed.
Aircraft parked on the airfields were destroyed helplessly, and key communication facilities were left exposed to the crippling strikes.
It was a textbook perfect surprise attack.
Right after the Israeli Air Force's blitz, the Israeli Northern Command set out from their positions on the Golan Heights and began a furious advance toward Damascus, Syria's capital.
The Israeli Eastern Command also attacked Jordan, moving to seize the West Bank west of the Dead Sea.
The Arabs were thrown into total disarray by Israel's multi-pronged surprise assault.
"Israel struck first?"
Egyptian President Nasser hurriedly flew to Moscow to request support.
Meanwhile, the Israeli forces pressed their relentless advance.
With victory in sight, Israel transmitted their ceasefire terms through Switzerland.
"Cede the West Bank west of the Dead Sea, recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and accept mutual state recognition between the Arab Federation and Israel. Do that, and we'll halt the offensive."
It was as good as telling the Arab Federation to wave the white flag.
"You think we'll surrender that easily?"
The Arab Federation rallied internal unity through propaganda.
"The Jews manipulated grain prices to bring down the Arab Federation. When we held firm despite that, they came with their armies, trying to dismantle the federation by force. If we yield to their ambitions, we'll end up as refugees like our Palestinian brothers, with no homes or future. Is that the life you want?"
The Arab states pinned the blame for everything that had happened on Israel.
Truth be told, it didn't even prick their consciences.
What was wrong with slapping a few more crimes on the villains who started a war without provocation in the first place?
The propaganda war quickly bore fruit.
Even in Syria, where the capital was under threat, public opinion backed the government's resolve to fight to the end.
"We'd rather die than surrender to those filthy Israelis."
Other Arab nations expressed solidarity with the Arab Federation.
"Israel is the axis of evil in the Middle East. As long as they exist, there will be no peace in the Arab world."
Non-member states like Saudi Arabia committed supplies, funds, and volunteers.
Once again, the entire Arab world began uniting against Israel.
Tel Aviv grew anxious upon receiving reports from Mossad confirming these developments.
Israeli tanks shelled downtown Damascus to force negotiations, but the Syrian government flatly refused talks.
"Should we launch an assault to take Damascus?"
Urban warfare, however, was the last thing the Israel Defense Forces wanted.
In city fighting, Israel's overwhelming mobility and firepower would be neutralized, leading to a bloody, protracted battle.
"What about encircling it instead?"
"Where do we get the troops for that?"
Israel couldn't easily decide on how to tackle Damascus.
While the Israelis hesitated, Egypt regrouped and launched a crossing operation over the Suez Canal.
"Ha. How exactly do you plan to cross?"
Israel had built the massive Bar Lev Line—a sand wall east of the Suez—using heavy construction equipment.
The Bar Lev Line was a fearsome embankment, 18 to 25 meters high with 45-to-60-degree slopes, a wall that despaired attackers on its own.
Israel figured even a massive engineering corps would take a week to breach it.
Add vast minefields and 26 fortresses to that.
The Israeli forces were confident of victory.
"A week? We can hold for a month."
But post-Third Middle East War, Egypt had meticulously planned to retake the Suez Canal.
First, surviving Egyptian aircraft pounded the trenches atop the Bar Lev Line.
Meanwhile, Egyptian engineers moved to breach it.
"Take a taste of high-pressure water."
For breaching the Bar Lev Line, Egypt brought out 500 fire hoses—the kind used in high-pressure water cannons.
These were Egypt's ace weapons, specially imported from Europe for this preemptive war.
"Fire!"
The Egyptians began washing away the Bar Lev Line with high-pressure jets.
The Israelis, realizing too late, panicked.
"They're breaching the Bar Lev with fire hoses? Air Force!"
In desperation, Israel scrambled its air force again.
This time, though, Egypt didn't just sit there.
"Ever heard of the Soviet S-75?"
"What?"
"It's the missile that shot down the U-2. How's that?"
The Israeli Air Force learned the hard way about the S-75 surface-to-air missiles Egypt had bought at great expense.
In under five minutes, four CM-170s were downed by S-75 missiles.
The Israeli CM-170 ground-attack planes, which had flown in for close air support, fled in panic from the S-75 onslaught.
With the Israeli Air Force retreating, Egypt could breach the Bar Lev Line without interference.
"At least the fortresses will hold."
The Israeli ground forces trusted the Bar Lev fortresses.
But the fixed forts weren't all that effective against the Egyptian push.
The sand walls melted between them, creating breaches that were hard to suppress with artillery.
"Artillery? Just send in the tanks."
As the fortress garrisons watched helplessly, stomping their feet, the ironclad Bar Lev wall crumbled in just 48 hours.
Egypt poured tanks through the breach and began systematically striking the 26 fortresses along the canal.
With the southern front turning critical, Israel's top brass reconsidered.
'If we pressure Syria, won't Egypt rush to their aid?'
That scenario would give them an opening to smash the Egyptians.
"Launch the battle for Damascus."
To rattle Egypt, Israel kicked off urban combat in Damascus.
Syria again pleaded for Egyptian help.
Israel watched Egypt's reaction closely.
If Egypt rushed to Syria's aid again, armor and air power would reverse the tide.
Unfortunately for Tel Aviv, Egypt moved with extreme caution.
"We can't repeat the same mistake twice."
Egypt soothed the desperate Syrians, advancing their forces only under SAM cover.
"So how does this war end?"
Syria vowed to fight on, but Egypt wouldn't give an opening to crush them.
They needed a decisive blow for any ceasefire talks, but couldn't create the conditions.
"Is the one-week victory the military promised even possible?"
"We're sorry, sir."
At this point, Israel's plan for a short war was in ruins.
Contrary to Israel's calculations, the Arab Federation's will to fight was unbroken despite early defeats.
"Those Jews. We'll finish them for good."
The Arab Federation didn't just consolidate forces.
They kept importing weapons via the Soviets.
Israel now felt real crisis.
Prime Minister Levi Eshkol had no choice but to beg the U.S., which he'd boasted to recently.
Of course, he didn't whine to the White House directly.
"The Soviets are aiding the Arabs. What does that mean?"
Israel appealed to Republican and military hawks on security grounds.
"If the commies back the Arabs, we naturally bet on the other side. Isn't that obvious logic?"
The White House couldn't ignore those voices.
"Damn it. I knew they'd pull this."
Unable to withstand pressure from Jewish lobbies and hardliners, the White House approved arms exports to Israel.
In name only—practically free aid at rock-bottom prices.
With the U.S. openly backing Israel, Arabs seethed with rage.
"Israel struck first, and now you're helping them? Does that make sense?"
They'd never seen the U.S. as fair, but this confirmed it.
America was the enemy of Arabs.
As popular sentiment turned hostile to the West, even pro-U.S. Arab states had to rethink.
Responding to boiling anti-Western fury, Arab nations declared an oil embargo against the West.
Western reporters scoffed at their announcement.
"How can oil producers pull that off? Production's in the Seven Sisters' hands."
"You'll see."
The Arabs pressured the Seven Sisters.
"If you want to keep pumping oil from our lands, stop shipping it to Israel's backers."
"Have you lost your minds? You want the West as an enemy?"
"Enough talk. Will you do it or not?"
One or two nations, the Seven Sisters might laugh off.
But with all Arab states united, they couldn't dismiss it lightly.
"Fine, for now."
The Seven Sisters agreed not to ship Arab oil to Britain and America.
Oil companies, however, doubted the embargo would stick.
"Those oil sheikhs sure think small."
Cut Middle East oil?
Just ramp up elsewhere.
America, Canada, Australia, Venezuela, West Africa, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, North Sea—plenty of places to drill.
The Arab oil embargo failed to impact the West significantly.
Britain and America boosted domestic production and imports from Venezuela et al., easily sidestepping it.
"Not even funny."
Even without that, smuggling and rerouting could evade sanctions.
Seeing the West unmoved, the Arabs realized their failure.
"Tried pressuring America with oil to make us submit? Didn't work out as planned."
Israel crowed over the Arabs' embargo flop.
Ceasefire terms, seeming softer earlier, turned aggressive again.
"But failing on the embargo? That's a bit much."
Then, Pyongyang—watching the embargo fail—stirred its heavy hips.
Time for Korea's invisible hand to move.