The "Don't" That Worked

At the height of the War of Independence, the IDF launched Operation Horev to expel the Egyptian forces that have invaded the Negev. The British Air Force regularly conducted reconnaissance flights over the battle zone, often violating Israeli airspace.

The British acted with impunity, believing their advanced airplanes could fly outside the range of Israeli anti-aircraft fire. However, as is often the case with bigger and stronger nations, they’ve underestimated Israel and paid the price for it.

At the start of 1949, two British planes noticed an Israeli convoy on fire and decided to fly closer to see what was going on. They were hit by Israeli machine gun fire. One of them was shot down and the pilot was captured by the IDF, who I imagine offered him tea and sandwiches, which is the usual Israeli procedure when faced with European invaders.

What happened is that the Israeli convoy was on fire because it was attacked by the Egyptian air force earlier that day. They expected another attack, so they were prepared to shoot down anything that approached.

What can I say? The British had really rotten timing.

Israeli Spitfires, 1949

At the same time, IAF planes spotted more British planes that crossed into Israeli territory and engaged them. The British sent more planes, leading to a pretty epic dogfight that surprisingly ended 5-0 in favor of the fledgling Jewish state. Two British pilots were killed and two more were captured.

The irony of this whole story was that most Israeli pilots were graduates of the British Air Force. I guess the British had taught them a little too well for their own good.

Now, the problem is that unlike today, the British back then didn’t like to lose. They still suffered from that national dignity problem that current British government is trying so hard to solve.

In response to losing five planes to a ragtag militia made of Holocaust survivors and crazy adventurers, the British decided to carry out a massive bombardment of Tel Aviv.

“That they may see and be afraid,” as they say in the Bible.

Now, if you’ve seen Dresden or Hamburg, you know that a British bombardment is nothing to scoff at. If they were so inclined, they could have leveled the entire city. Contrary to what the first part of this story suggests, Israeli AA defenses weren’t exactly state of the art back then.

It was at this point that an American president said “Don’t.”

The difference is that unlike Biden, this was a president who recently dropped two atomic bombs on a country so people actually listened to him.

What happened is that the American envoy in Cairo got wind of the attack and informed the White House. President Truman instantly called the British Prime Minister Clement Attlee and demanded the British cancel the attack.

The British planned to bomb Tel Aviv in 6 AM. The order to abort the mission was given at 3 AM. Talk about a close call! Not since Purim was a plan to destroy the Jews stopped in the last moment so providentially.

And if that’s not a miracle, I don’t know what is!

Oh, and in case you wondered what became of the British pilots who were captured by the IDF, they were released almost immediately. Their only complaint? That the Israelis fed them too much.

What can I say? The IDF truly is an army of Jews.

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