The series of deep penetration strikes also included the earlier bombing of a factory in Abu Zaabal, in which 80 civilian workers were killed, which Israel also claimed to have been a mistake.

[4][5] The attack was carried out by Israeli Air Force F4 Phantom II fighter bombers, at 9:20 am on Wednesday 8 April.

[9][10][11][12][13] The bombing of Bahr El-Baqar was defended by then Defense Minister Moshe Dayan, and Israeli envoy to the UN Yosef Tekoah.

Moshe Dayan said: "We have checked and re-checked and there was no mistake this time" and "Maybe the Egyptians put elementary students in a military base."

[16] The attack is considered a contributing factor to Israel's decision to suspend other deep strikes originally planned in operation Priha.