Operation Avak

Its objective was to send supplies to the Israeli enclave in the northwestern Negev desert by air, and create a suitable airfield for this purpose.

[1] The Egyptians then set up positions in the Majdal – Bayt Jibrin road in order to strengthen their hold on the area and disconnect the Negev villages from the rest of Israel.

[2] The Israelis made two major attempts to break through the blockade—Operation An-Far and Operation Death to the Invader—but failed to create its own wedge between the Egyptian forces.

[3] Before the Egyptians created the bypass, United Nations observers visited the area and determined that the Israelis controlled a passageway to the Negev at the beginning of the truce.

During the following days, much of the Yiftach Brigade covertly made their way to the Negev by land, just west of Kawkaba and Huleikat, bypassing Egyptian positions.

[5] The first flights of Operation Avak took place on August 23, 1948, with four-engined Douglas C-54 Skymaster and Lockheed Constellation aircraft, and twin-engined Curtiss C-46 Commandos.

[5][6] Part of the reason why the load was increased had been the fear of heavy rainfall in the coming months that could disrupt the dirt airfield's operations.

This created the possibility however, that the extra fuel used by the transporters would deplete the available supply and significantly diminish the IAF's capabilities during the planned large-scale operation in the area (codenamed Ten Plagues, later Yoav).

However, as Yiftach consolidated its positions and expanded to Tell al-Hesi and Khirbet Mahaz (a field cannon's range from the airfield) over the course of the month, the Egyptians mounted a response.

Yiftach returned on the night of October 1–2 (finding the place empty), and in the following two days managed to repel Egyptian assaults backed by armor and artillery.

[5] The Egyptians bombarded the position with eight Supermarine Spitfire aircraft on October 5, managing to disrupt Yiftach's forward headquarters at Tell al-Najjila just southwest, but did not dislodge the forces at Khirbet Mahaz.

[10] Egypt renewed its assault on October 6, when twelve armored vehicles backed by infantry attacked Khirbet Mahaz from the north.