This page is subject to the extended confirmed restriction related to the Arab-Israeli conflict.31°10′31.0″N 32°26′45.7″E / 31.175278°N 32.446028°E / 31.175278; 32.446028 Egyptian front International front The Battles of Fort Budapest (Hebrew: מעוז בודפשט) refer to two attempts by the Egyptian Army to capture Fort Budapest, part of Israel's Bar Lev Line, during the Yom Kippur War.

The first attempt took place at noon on October 6, 1973, with the start of Operation Badr, but failed due to Israeli Air Force intervention.

Unlike all other Bar Lev Line fortifications, Budapest was not located on or immediately east of the Suez Canal.

On October 6, the fort was garrisoned by an infantry company and two tank platoons, under the command of Captain Motti Ashkenazi.

[2] Capturing Fort Budapest fell within the responsibility of the Port Said Sector, an Egyptian military command independent of the Second Field Army to the south.

One group would land four kilometers east of Budapest to isolate it and prevent Israeli reinforcements from reaching the fort.

[3] On October 6, at 14:00, as part of Operation Badr, over 200 Egyptian aircraft participated in an air strike against various Israeli targets in the Sinai.

While the fire preparation was underway, the Sa'iqa company moved out of Port Said to conduct its landing east of the fort.

Israeli aircraft began strafing and bombing the Egyptian forces for over two and a half hours while encountering no resistance, leading to the destruction of all six tanks and five vehicles.

The Israelis bombed Egyptian forces at the minefield and on an area of the strip stretching two kilometers towards Port Fouad.

Salah ordered his battalion to assume defensive positions east of Port Fouad to repel any Israeli counterattack and to regroup.

It managed to land four kilometers east of the fort without facing any aerial resistance (as the company was sailing in civilian fishing boats).

The company managed to prevent Israeli reinforcements from reaching the fort, destroying a number of tanks and vehicles.

The Sa'iqa company continued to hold its positions east of Budapest for four days, until Salah decided to withdraw it due to the casualties it had sustained.

[6] As in the first attempt, a Sa'iqa company from the 103rd Battalion would occupy positions four kilometers east of Budapest to isolate the fort.

Towards midnight, the Egyptians began harassing the fort's garrison with artillery fire using a range of calibers, along with Katyusha rockets launched from a naval vessel.

The fighting became intense, and the Egyptians picked up a radio signal sent by the garrison commander in which he detailed his men's precarious position and requested immediate assistance, especially air support.

In the ensuing firefight, the company leader and every platoon commander were killed as the Egyptians were caught in open ground, bereft of any cover.

Khalid instructed Salah to have his forces retreat to their original defensive positions east of Port Fouad to reorganize, and to defend against counterattacks at all costs.

Throughout October 15, troops that had retreated through the lake continued to arrive at the defensive positions, where Israeli counterattacks were repulsed with the help of artillery.