Operation Shoter

Operation Shoter (Hebrew: מִבְצָע שׁוֹטֵר, Mivtza Shoter, lit. Operation Policeman), also Operation Jaba', was a three-day Israeli operation during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War in the "Little Triangle" area south of Haifa. The operational objective was to clear the Tel Aviv – Haifa Road, which had been closed by local militia. Israelis had been forced to take a long and dangerous route to the east through Wadi Milk. The operation was launched a week after the start of the second truce imposed by United Nations. Attacks on Israeli traffic had continued during the truce. The operation was carried out by the Alexandroni's 33rd Battalion with support from additional Golani and Carmeli units. The Arab forces were irregular local militia. Israeli forces attacked on July 24 and July 25, but were delayed by stiff resistance and poor planning. Following heavy artillery shelling and air force bombing, the Little Triangle's defenses broke and the three villages surrendered on July 26. The operation caused the expulsion and flight of most Little Triangle villagers, variously estimated at around 7,000 or 8,000 people. United Nations observers toured the destroyed villages after the attack and found no evidence of a massacre as claimed by Arab sources, although they concluded that the assault on the Little Triangle was unjustified in view of the truce and offer to negotiate.