Israel Jets Strike Guerrilla Bases in Lebanon; Pound Egyptian Targets in Suez Canal

Israel Air Force jets struck at guerrilla bases in Lebanon today. They also continued to pound Egyptian targets in the Suez Canal zone following the repulse of a massive Egyptian commando raid on Israeli positions south of Kantara last night. All planes returned safely. Two Israeli soldiers were killed in a heavy Egyptian artillery barrage which preceded and followed the commando raid. They were identified as Pvt. Shimon Zuckerman, 21, of Tel Aviv and Pvt. Aryeh Czakowski, 20, of Haifa. An Israeli military spokesman said at least 30 Egyptian soldiers drowned last night when four rubber boats sank under Israeli gun fire while retreating across the canal. The spokesman said the Egyptian force was driven back by heavy Israeli gun fire and were strafed by Air Force jets. Israeli jets continued to attack Egyptian artillery positions for several hours after the attack.

Cairo described the raid as the biggest since the June, 1967 war. It said that more than 600 Egyptian troops–a full armored battalion–carried out landings at two points on the Israel-held east bank of the canal and inflicted heavy casualties. Cairo claimed that an Israeli jet was shot down. The raid was the fifth by Egyptian forces across the canal in the last 13 days. Defense Minister Moshe Dayan inspected Israeli positions in the canal zone today. He was accompanied by Chief of Staff Chaim Bar Lev and Gen. Aric Sharon, commander of the southern front. Today’s targets in Lebanon were on the western slopes of Mt. Hermon. A military spokesman said they were bases that serve guerrillas active along Israel’s northern borders.