British Launch Heavy Attack on Jewish Force in Jaffa; Use Rocket Planes and Artillery

British troops fortified with armored vehicles, ##tars and artillery were attacking tonight Haganah and Irgun positions in Jewish-##upied suburbs of Jaffa in order to prevent the Jews from seizing the rest of City.

Rocket-firing Spitfires of the Royal Air Force were used for the first time Palestine in the British assault. The aircraft struck at Irgun headquarters at Yam, on the outskirts of Jaffa, from which Jewish artillery has been hitting the Arab seaport.

The British attack followed on the heels of a warning delivered to Mayor Israel Rokach of Tel Aviv that if the Jewish forces continued their advance into Jaffa, British troops would defend the city. Even if the Jews succeed in capturing Jaffa, the warning said, the British will drive them out.

The British warning was issued as the joint armed forces of Haganah and the Irgun captured the Manshieh quarter of Jaffa and were continuing their assault on the Arab city. A Haganah communique issued earlier reported that Jewish forces have occupied the suburbs of Jaffa and surrounding villages which have been used by the Arabs as “key positions.” A similar communique was issued by the Irgun emphasizing that “the advance into Jaffa continues.”

MANY ARABS TAKEN PRISONER; RED CROSS ASKED FOR AID

A large number of Arabs have been taken prisoner in the battle and have been transferred to a Haganah-Irgun camp. At the same time, the Jewish forces have asked the Red Cross to care for Arab women and children in the fighting area. A white flag was raised over the Mosque in Manshieh and the Jewish troops were ordered by their commanders not to harm the Moslem house of worship.

Towards the end of the day, incomplete reports said that only four Jews had been killed in the Jaffa battle. Mortar shells were still falling in the center of the city at dusk while the Arabs were reported to be using field guns to repel the Jewish attack. The Haganah command has issued an order to the Jews in the Tel Aviv-Jaffa border area to keep their windows open and shutters closed in order to prevent flying glass, and to remain in nearby shelters.

Jews were taking cover in cellars in the southern part of Tel Aviv because the shells from Jaffa were landing in the area. Tel Aviv residents were not sure whether the shells came from Arab or British guns.

Hundreds of Arab families are reported to have fled Jaffa, which has been under attack since Sunday morning, while Arab police in Manshieh have also withdrawn. Jewish troops have been using tanks, armored cars and mortar batteries in the four-day-old assault.