Operation Mole Cricket 19

The operation was the first time in history that a Western air force successfully destroyed a Soviet -built SAM network. It also became one of the biggest air battles since World War II , and the biggest since the Korean War . The IAF began working on a SAM suppression operation since the end of the Yom Kippur War . Rising tensions between Israel and Syria over Lebanon escalated in the early 1980s and culminated in Syria deploying the SAM batteries in the Beqaa Valley . On June 6, 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon, and on the third day of the war, with clashes going on between the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Syrian Army , Israel decided to launch the operation. The battle lasted about two hours, and involved innovative tactics and technology. By the end of the day, the IAF had destroyed seventeen of the nineteen SAM batteries deployed in the Beqaa Valley and shot down 29 fighter planes, without losses. The battle led the United States to impose a ceasefire on Israel and Syria .

Israeli air force bombing campaign Belligerents Israel ( IAF ) Syria ( SAAF ) Commanders and leaders David Ivry Ariel Sharon Mustafa Tlass Hafez Al-Assad Strength 90 aircraft (mostly F-15s and F-16s) 1 remotely piloted vehicles squadron UAVs 100 aircraft (mostly ground attack MiG-21 and MiG-23, some MiG-23M air-to-air fighters) 30 SAM batteries Casualties and losses 2 F-15 damaged At least 1 UAV shot down 82–86 planes shot down 29 SAM batteries destroyed Operation Mole Cricket 19 ( , Mivtza ʻArtzav Tsha-Esreh ) was a suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD) campaign launched by the Israeli Air Force (IAF) against Syrian targets on June 9, 1982, at the outset of the 1982 Lebanon War . The operation was the first time in history that a Western-equipped air force successfully destroyed a Soviet -built surface-to-air missile (SAM) network. It also became one of the biggest air battles since World War II , and the biggest since the Korean War . The result was a decisive Israeli victory, leading to the colloquial name the "Bekaa Valley Turkey Shoot". The IAF began working on a SAM suppression operation at the end of the Yom Kippur War . Rising tensions between Israel and Syria over Lebanon escalated in the early 1980s and culminated in Syria deploying SAM batteries in the Beqaa Valley . On June 6, 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon, and on the third day of the war, with clashes ongoing between the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Syrian Army , Israel decided to launch the operation. The battle lasted about two hours, and involved innovative tactics and technology. By the end of the day, the IAF had destroyed 29 of 30 SAM batteries deployed in the Beqaa Valley, and shot down 82–86 enemy aircraft, with minimal losses of its own.

1982 Israeli air force bombing campaign Belligerents Israel ( IAF ) Syria ( SAAF ) Commanders and leaders David Ivry Ariel Sharon Mustafa Tlass Hafez Al-Assad Strength 90 aircraft (mostly F-15s and F-16s) 1 remotely piloted vehicle squadron UAVs 100 aircraft (mostly ground attack MiG-21 and MiG-23, some MiG-23M air-to-air fighters) 30 SAM batteries Casualties and losses 2 F-15 damaged At least 1 UAV shot down 82–86 planes shot down 29 SAM batteries destroyed Operation Mole Cricket 19 ( , Mivtza ʻArtzav Tsha-Esreh ) was a suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD) campaign launched by the Israeli Air Force (IAF) against Syrian targets on June 9, 1982, at the outset of the 1982 Lebanon War . The operation was the first time in history that a Western-equipped air force successfully destroyed a Soviet -built surface-to-air missile (SAM) network. It also became one of the biggest air battles since World War II , and the biggest since the Korean War . The result was a decisive Israeli victory, leading to the colloquial name the "Bekaa Valley Turkey Shoot". The IAF began working on a SAM suppression operation at the end of the Yom Kippur War . Rising tensions between Israel and Syria over Lebanon escalated in the early 1980s and culminated in Syria deploying SAM batteries in the Beqaa Valley . On June 6, 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon, and on the third day of the war, with clashes ongoing between the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Syrian Army , Israel decided to launch the operation. The battle lasted about two hours, and involved innovative tactics and technology. By the end of the day, the IAF had destroyed 29 of 30 SAM batteries deployed in the Beqaa Valley, and shot down 82–86 enemy aircraft, with minimal losses of its own. The battle led the United States to impose a ceasefire on Israel and Syria .

1982 Israeli Air Force campaign in Lebanon Belligerents Israel ( IAF ) Syria ( SAAF ) Commanders and leaders David Ivry Ariel Sharon Mustafa Tlass Hafez al-Assad Strength 90 aircraft (mostly F-15s and F-16s) 1 remotely piloted vehicle squadron UAVs 100 aircraft (mostly ground attack MiG-21 and MiG-23, some MiG-23M air-to-air fighters) 30 SAM batteries Casualties and losses 2 F-15 damaged At least 1 UAV shot down 82–86 planes shot down 29 SAM batteries destroyed Operation Mole Cricket 19 ( Hebrew : מבצע ערצב-19 , romanized : Mivtza ʻArtzav Tsha-Esreh ) was a suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD) campaign launched by the Israeli Air Force (IAF) against Syrian targets on June 9, 1982, at the outset of the 1982 Lebanon War . The operation was the first time in history that a Western-equipped air force successfully destroyed a Soviet -built surface-to-air missile (SAM) network. It also became one of the biggest air battles since World War II , and the biggest since the Korean War . The result was a decisive Israeli victory. The IAF began working on a SAM suppression operation at the end of the Yom Kippur War . Rising tensions between Israel and Syria over Lebanon escalated in the early 1980s and culminated in Syria deploying SAM batteries in the Beqaa Valley . On June 6, 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon, and on the third day of the war, with clashes ongoing between the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Syrian Army , Israel decided to launch the operation. The battle lasted about two hours, and involved innovative tactics and technology. By the end of the day, the IAF had destroyed 29 of 30 SAM batteries deployed in the Beqaa Valley, and shot down 82–86 enemy aircraft, with minimal losses of its own. The battle led the United States to impose a ceasefire on Israel and Syria .