Israeli jets attacked guerrilla bases in Jordan twice today. A military spokesman said all planes returned safely to their bases. Five Arab saboteurs were killed last night and five others were captured today in encounters with Israeli patrols near the Abdullah Bridge over the Jordan River. Four Israeli soldiers were wounded by Egyptian artillery fire in the Suez Canal zone today.
A military spokesman said the slain saboteurs were part of a gang that had just crossed the river. There were no casualties on the Israeli side. Attempted infiltration has increased recently because saboteurs want to cross the Jordan before winter rains make it too difficult.
Israeli jets attacked Egyptian targets on the Gulf of Suez yesterday. They also struck at guerrilla bases inside Jordan following a mortar and rocket bombardment of five settlements in the Beisan Valley and Upper Galilee. Fourteen soldiers were wounded in fighting in the Canal sector yesterday. Four were victims of an Egyptian air attack in which the Arabs lost three MIGs to Israeli fighters and anti-aircraft fire. The others were injured in a heavy artillery bombardment that followed the apparently unsuccessful air assault. According to Israel, the Egyptians sent MIG 17s to drop bombs and napalm on Israeli positions on the east bank while MIG-21 fighters provided cover and engaged Israeli jets in dogfights.
Israel returned the bodies of six Egyptian soldiers and exchanged civilians at the canal today. The soldiers were killed Oct. 3 in an abortive commando raid on Israeli positions. The bodies were returned under Red Cross auspices at Kantara. The Red Cross also supervised an exchange of 110 Egyptian citizens living in the Gaza Strip and northern Sinai for 123 natives of those areas who had been living in Egypt.
Israeli forces blew up two houses belonging to Arab terrorists yesterday and sealed off a third. The buildings were located in Nablus and in Halhul village near Hebron. (A report from Red China that reached Israel today said an El Fatah delegation headed by Abu Kassem was among the guests of honor who joined Chairman Mao Tse Tung on a parade platform on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Communist revolution in China.)
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
