Sinai Front: Ismailia Pass

After the crossing of the Canal and the battle for Chinese Farm, General Sharon's division was given the mission to widen the corridor between the Egyptian 16th Infantry Division and the Israeli Canal crossing point near Deversoir to prevent future …

1973-10-20

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After the crossing of the Canal and the battle for Chinese Farm, General Sharon's division was given the mission to widen the corridor between the Egyptian 16th Infantry Division and the Israeli Canal crossing point near Deversoir to prevent future counterattacks against the corridor. General Sharon expanded the mission however to include the capture of the Egyptian city of Ismailia, about 10 miles to the north of Deversoir on the west bank of the Canal. On the 18th of October Sharon began his assault with one armored brigade but the attack faltered against stiff resistance. During the night of the 18th Sharon transferred over two more brigades from the east bank and on the morning of the 19th launched a three brigade assault towards Ismailia. The Egyptians were not idle during the previous night for they themselves brought in the 182nd Paratroop Brigade to defend against the Israelí assault. All day long on the 19th the Israelis slowly gained ground but at a heavy cost as the Egyptians inflicted many losses upon them. During the night of the 19th the Israelis rested and regrouped while the Egyptian 182nd pulled back to newly constructed defensive positions about three miles south of lsmailia. On the morning of the 20th Sharon launched his final effort to take the city. Although the Israelis managed to plunge deep into the Egyptian positions, heavy casualties were taking the steam out of their drive. As the Israelis were about to break through to the city, the Egyptians launched a counterattack with newly arrived reinforcements. The Israelis were driven back towards their morning starting positions where they held the Egyptian assault till nightfall when the Egyptians broke off the attack. For the rest of the war the Israelis never got any closer to lsmailia although they were within artillery range and they had to settle for interdícting it with artillery.

Ismailia, Egypt

The The Battle of Ismailia took place between the Egyptian Army and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) during the last stages of the Yom Kippur War during October 18–22, 1973, south of the city of Ismailia, on the west bank of the Suez Canal in Egypt. The battle itself took place as part of the larger IDF-launched Operation Abiray-Lev, in an attempt to seize Ismailia and thereby sever the logistical and supply lines of most of Egypt's Second Field Army across the Suez Canal. Breaking out of their newly established bridgehead west of the Canal at the northern end of the Great Bitter Lake, the IDF launched an offensive from Deversoir toward Ismailia. A combined force of Egyptian paratroopers and commandos fought a delaying battle, falling back upon defensive positions further north under increasing pressure from IDF infantry and armor. By October 22, they were occupying a last line of defense, including positions along the Ismailia canal. Though outnumbered, they repulsed a final Israeli effort to capture the city; a United Nations ceasefire was then imposed, bringing the battle to an end. The Egyptians registered a tactical and strategic victory in the defense of Ismailia, stopping an encirclement of their large forces on the east bank of the Suez Canal and ensuring their supply lines remained open.

Wikipedia: Battle of Ismailia

Israeli

Egyptain