[4][6] He is the oldest son of Yehudit Simhonit[note 1] and Mordecai Simhoni,[6] fifth generation farmers who made aliyah to Mandatory Palestine in 1921.

Coming from an agricultural settlement near Kherson, Ukraine (then Russian Empire),[7] they settled in Nahalal, the newly established first moshav.

His house was the meeting place of intellectuals and youth members of the Jewish colonies sought to immigrate to Israel and work in agriculture.

His middle son, Avner Simhoni (Hebrew: אבנר שמחוני), was killed in 1968 when a land mine exploded in the Gulf of Suez during the military operations in the War of Attrition.

[4][6] Within two short months, Simhoni was involved in various operations in Syria under the command of Yigal Allon, near the Old Customs House near Katzrin in the Golan Heights.

The purpose of the operation was to cut off the telephone lines of the Vichy French Army, in an attempt to prevent their occupation of areas under Mandatory Palestine.

In the first months of the war Simhoni fought with the regiment against Arab gangs in Haifa, the Western Galilee, Gilboa and Bet She'an Valley.

A battle that begun with an attack against Mishmar HaEmek with the intent of taking the kibbutz which was strategically situated beside the main road between Jenin and Haifa.

At the end of the month they fought against the Lebanese army in Operation Yiftach[4] with the goal of capturing the eastern Galilee.

In that capacity, he participated in the battles of the conquest of Lod and Ramla, and breaking the Jerusalem corridor during Operation Danny.

Following the end of his post, Simhoni was transferred to the General Staff where he served as the assistant chief of the Operations Directorate.

In that capacity, Simhoni handled the organization and planning of the reprisal operations that were conducted by Unit 101 and the Paratroopers Brigade under the command of Ariel Sharon.

On October 29, 1956, with the start of the war, Simhoni selected to lead the attack on the central sector of Sinai Peninsula.

On November 6, in Sharm el-Sheikh the chief of staff Moshe Dayan, Simchoni and brigade commander 9 division, and Avraham Yoffe, surveyed the conclusion of the war.

During his command, in certain events, Simhoni led the restructuring of the IDF combat doctrine whereby the Armored Corps is the main decisive force in land.

Additionally, following the lesson from the War in Sinai, the IDF combat doctrine has since been based entirely on the element of surprise, rapid movement and maneuvering, concentrated efforts, and quick operations.

On November 6, 1956, Upon completion of the victory parade in Sharm el-Sheikh, Simhoni took off in a small plane to El-Tor to visit other units.

However, because of severe weather conditions and poor visibility the plane veered off course and crashed in the grounds of the crusader fortress, Ajlun Castle, in Jordan (About 25 km southeast of Beit She'an).

Asaf Simhoni, then a colonel, Head of Southern Command, and the pilot Benjamin Gordon (Hebrew: בנימין גורדון [14]) died in the crash.