Egyptian Thunderbolt officer highlights facts from War of Attrition against Israel

CAIRO – 25 April 2021: Major General Mohie Nouh, a former officer at Egypt's Thunderbolt Forces who took part in the War of Attrition launched against the Israeli troops in Sinai between 1967 and 1973, highlighted in a phone-in Sunday part of the achievements accomplished during that period.

After the defeat in 1967, many operations were carried out by the Egyptian Armed Forces in the same year, Nouh noted indicating as examples Gelbana Battle, Ras Al Osh Battle, and the sinking Eilat Destroyer on October 21, 1967.

After participating in the two battles, the officer joined Combat Team No. 39, which accomplished 92 operations, including raiding, ambushing, and abduction behind enemy lines in Sinai, and Israel targeting Eilat and Sodom.

Such operations resulted in the death of 430 Israelis, and the destruction of 17 tanks, 77 vehicles, and four loaders. That is in addition to capturing a number of hostages. The first Israeli hostage captured by the Egyptian is called Jacob Ronet.

Nouh asserted that the Attrition War restored the soldiers' confidence in themselves as the Israeli army was propagating it was undefeatable.

Israel captured the Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip, West Bank, Old City of Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights in the Six-Day War that began on June 5, 1967.

On October 6, 1973 at 2:00 p.m. (Cairo time) the Egyptian Armed Forces launched its war against the Israeli troops bringing down Bar Lev Line (a series of fortifications). 

As a result, the Israeli troops were forced to retreat 15 kilometers eastern the Suez Canal; meanwhile, Syrian troops waged the war near Golan Heights against the Israeli troops.

The rest was recovered through a peace treaty signed in 1979; except for Taba that Egypt retrieved by international arbitration in 1988. The Israeli withdrawal from Sinai occurred in stages that ended in 1982.

On the 39th Sinai Liberation Day marking April 25, President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi delivered Sunday a pre-recorded speech on the occasion.