The Tiberias garrison formed part of a rearguard stretching to Samakh and on to Deraa which was intended to cover the retreat of three Ottoman armies.

As part of re-organisation and training, these newly arrived soldiers carried out a series of attacks on sections of the Ottoman front line during the summer months.

[1] On 19 September, the XXI Corps commanded by Lieutenant General Edward Bulfin had, with the support of a creeping barrage, broken through the Ottoman front line to begin the Battle of Sharon.

In the afternoon the XX Corps commanded by Lieutenant General Philip Chetwode was then ordered to begin the Battle of Nablus, supported by an artillery barrage.

The Desert Mounted Corps commanded by Lieutenant General Harry Chauvel advanced through the gap created by the XXI Corps infantry during the morning of 19 September to continue the Battle of Megiddo, almost encircling the Ottoman forces fighting in the Judean Hills, capturing Nazareth, Haifa, Afulah and Beisan, Jenin and Samakh before advancing to Tiberias.

Tiberias was the seat of a Kaimmakam (district) within the Ottoman sanjak (prefecture) of Acre and had a population of about 8,600, including 7,000 Jews, many of whom were German-speaking immigrants from Poland.

At this time Tiberias was connected to southern Palestine via Nazareth by metalled roads and by an alternative route to Afulah via Beisan, which was also suitable for wheeled vehicles.

The rugged Ain en Nimr mountain, 1,800 feet (550 m) above the Sea of Galilee and less than 2 miles (3.2 km) from its southern shore, was occupied by 500 Ottoman infantry supported by one artillery piece.

[10] Major General Henry Hodgson, commanding the Australian Mounted Division, ordered the light horse patrols back to Samakh and pushed westwards towards Tiberias.

[15][16] When Macpherson's squadron reached the high ground an Ottoman patrol saw the light horsemen, but before they could alert the Tiberias garrison, they were quickly cut off and captured.

Meanwhile, the 8th Light Horse Regiment restored order in the town and established guards on stores of grain while the remainder of the brigade rested after their night-time advance.

[16][17] The loss of Tiberias ended Liman von Sanders' plans for a rearguard line extending from the Yarmuk via the Sea of Galilee and on to Lake Huleh.

[13] The remnants of the Tiberias and Samakh garrisons established a strong rearguard south of Lake Huleh, at Jisr Benat Yakub which was attacked and captured during the pursuit to Damascus.