Operation Horev

The operation took place from 22 December 1948 to 7 January 1949 and concluded after Britain threatened to intervene unless Israeli troops immediately withdrew from Egyptian territory.

In preparation for the offensive, the Israeli army had cleared a route through the desert, bypassing defenses on the Beersheba to al-Auja road.

Following this victory, Alon anticipated no significant Egyptian defenses west of El-Arish and prepared to seize the entire Sinai peninsula.

[4] Before achieving his objective, Allon was ordered by Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion to withdraw from Egypt immediately due to threats from the British Government of invoking the 1936 Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of Friendship and becoming directly involved.

On the same day, the Israeli Air Force shot down five RAF Spitfires on patrol in the area, killing two pilots and taking two more prisoners.