Operation Bin Nun Bet - Campaign Series: Middle East 1948 -1985

[Latrun, Israel]: [SIDE A][HIS][CSL]: Latrun, named after the monastery, is a small village situated on the north side of the Jerusalem highway at entrance to the rough terrain by the junction of two highways. The highway served as the supply corridor between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and was constantly harassed by the Arab Liberation Army. At Latrun was a British Police Fort, which was abandoned at the beginning of the Mandate. The Israeli troops captured the key position of Latrun in early May, but due to the Egyptian invasion, Latrun was abandoned. The Jordanian Arab Legion troops secured the abandoned fort and manned the positions with the 4th Regiment and reinforced by the 2nd Regiment. Operation Bin Nun Bet was the second attempt at retaking the position to ensure safe passage to Jerusalem. Taking into account the mistakes of the previous attacks, the renewed assault was organized with precision, and the area from where the units had to launch their attack had been cleared on 28 May. In particular the two hamlets of Bayt Jiz and Bayt Susin, where a counter-attacks had been launched by the Arab militants during the first battle, and Hill 369. The attack was once more foreseen on two axes: 1. The 72nd and 52nd Infantry Battalions were to counter-attack on foot from the south up to Bayt Susin and then take Bab al-Wad and attack respectively Dayr Ayyub and Yalu, then head for Latrun and attack this from the east. 2. The 71st Infantry Battalion and 73rd Mechanized Battalion were to assault the police fort, the monastery and the town of Latrun by south-west. [ALL:NOVV][NONE][1.00]