An Israeli military spokesman today ridiculed an Egyptian claim that a commando unit had “wiped out” an Israeli position opposite Ismailia on the Suez Canal and that it destroyed an Israeli tank in a subsequent encounter. The spokesman said an Egyptian commando squad of 15 men crossed Lake Timsah at about 8:30 last night but was driven back with loss of equipment. He said one Israeli soldier was wounded and a military vehicle was damaged.
Cairo radio claimed today that 30 Israeli soldiers were killed or wounded and that Israeli Army vehicles and munitions depots were destroyed. An Israeli military spokesman said the Egyptian crossing was one of the rare attempts by Egyptian forces to penetrate the Sinai Peninsula and had little success. He said the Egyptians retreated after an exchange of fire and left behind explosives, a Russian-made Kalachnikof assault rifle and smoke bombs.
The claims and their rebuttal came as Egyptian artillery opened fire across the Suez Canal for the 12th straight day. Israeli guns returned the fire. Soviet-supplied long range artillery was reported to have been moved to the Suez firing line in recent days. Cairo claimed the big guns had destroyed an Israeli supply convoy in the Mitla Pass, 18 miles east of the canal.
Heavy fighting flared over the week-end along Israel’s border with Jordan, in the Golan Heights and across the Suez Canal. Artillery, tank guns and mortars roared along the entire length of the waterway yesterday in a battle that went on almost for 23 hours. Egyptian spokesmen claimed that heavy casualties and damage were inflicted on Israeli forces. Israel said that three soldiers were killed and five wounded on all fronts since Friday. Four Arab saboteurs were killed today in a clash with an Israeli patrol on the West Bank. The body of another guerrilla was found following a clash Saturday north of the Allenby Bridge.
The large number of clashes along the Israel-Jordan demarcation line appeared to be the result of desperate efforts by saboteurs to infiltrate Israeli territory with the object of launching attacks and planting explosives during Israel’s Independence Day celebrations Wednesday. Saboteurs were intercepted by Israeli patrols near the Allenby Bridge and near Um Tutz where there is a natural ford across the Jordan River, a military spokesman said.
Israeli security forces reportedly were taking measures to prevent incidents in areas where mass celebrations of Independence Day will take place.
Jordanian forces and Arab irregulars shelled Beisan Valley settlements Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The shooting spread to the southern Golan Heights. Israel return fire blasted Jordanian positions. In one case a water canal paralleling the Yarmuk River was destroyed. Iraqi artillery stationed in Jordan was reported to have taken part in some of the attacks. Some of the shells that landed in the Golan Heights came from 122-mm. field pieces used by the Iraqi Army.
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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.
