The wail of air raid sirens broke the news to Israelis this morning that the long-anticipated Arab attack had begun. A few minutes later the Israeli Army spokesman announced to the country that severe fighting, involving armor and air forces, had broken out on Israel’s southern borders and that the Israeli forces had entered into action to halt the advancing enemy forces.
At 11:45 A.M., Jerusalem Time (5:45 A.M. New York DST) Jordanian artillery opened fire on Jerusalem, Mt. Scopus, Eyal, Ramat Rahel, Wadi Ara, Mai Ami and other settlements. Israeli artillery returned the fire. The Jordanians also brought the settlement of Bochan and the kibbutz of Ramai Hakovesh under flat trajectory fire. The large coastal town of Natanya came under attack from fighter planes this morning. Three Syrian MIGs attacked Megiddo and two of the Syrian jets were shot down by Israeli fighters. Enemy planes also attacked Kfar Sirkin and Ein Namifratz and Kurdani in the Haifa area as well as the Arab village of Eilabun.
Israeli forces, counter-attacking on the Sinai-Gaza strip border, occupied the town of Khan Yunis in the strip late today, cutting off the strip from Egypt, Israeli military sources said here this evening as the first day of the new war neared its close. The sources said Israeli troops and armor was continuing the Gaza Strip attack, cutting off the Palestine Liberation Army forces which were stationed in the Strip by Egypt.
Israel rejected Egyptian claims of having penetrated the Negev, asserting that not an inch of Israeli territory had been occupied by the Arab forces, which included elements from Jordan, Syria and Iraq. Kuwait and Algeria also declared they were at war with Israel but there was no information that troops from those countries were involved in the three-nation Arab attack on Israel.
EGYPTIAN AND SYRIAN FORCES SUFFER SEVERE LOSSES; ARAB AIRFIELDS BOMBED
Egyptian and Syrian forces were reported to have suffered severe losses but no official information on the air clashes was released. It was reported that Israeli planes bombed airfields at Cairo, Damascus and Jordan. Israeli troops drove Jordanian forces out of the Government House between old and new Jerusalem where the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization has its headquarters. Jordanian troops seized the building early in the fighting but Israeli troops attacked and routed the Jordanians.
The Jordanians shelled the Mea Shearim and Musrara sections of new Jerusalem as well as the Arab village of Kafr Kassem. Israeli units returned the fire. For the time being, Israeli officials imposed a complete blackout on the military actions, particularly those of the armored units but optimism was reported. Kol Israel, the official radio, broadcasting in Arabic, claimed that Israeli pilots had destroyed 120 Egyptian planes, but there was no confirmation.
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