Early Morning Israeli Raid in Beirut Results in the Killing of Dozens of Palestinian Terrorists

Several dozen special commando teams penetrate Beirut city areas, killing three senior PLO leaders, and dozens of others, including several who planned the 1972 Black September massacre of Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics. Ehud Barak, later Israel’s Prime Minister (1999-2001), leads the assault. Intelligence material taken from PLO sources leads to the arrest of Palestinian terrorists operating under Israeli control in the territories. Two Israeli soldiers are killed in the raid. The Israeli public is intoxicated with its army’s daring success with Defense Minister Dayan quoted as saying in the days following, “We will establish a new Israel, with wide borders, not like in 1948.”