Operation Horev
Operation Horev was a wide-scale offensive launched by the IDF in the midst of the War of Independence
This Day in Israeli History: Operation Horev -- When the British Stopped Israel from Liberating the Gaza Strip and Conquering the Sinai Peninsula
Operation Horev was a wide-scale offensive launched by the IDF in the midst of the War of Independence. On December 22, 1948, five IDF battalions commanded by Yigal Allon were instructed to head south with intent on destroying the Egyptian strongholds in the region.
By launching several diversionary attacks, IDF forces were able to destroy the Egyptian position at Nitzana and advanced to El Arish in the Sinai. Several days later, the IDF bested the Egyptian forces at El Arish, subsequently cutting of and besieging the Egyptian army in the Gaza Strip.
After destroying the Egyptian strongholds at Nitzana and El Arish, there were no more Egyptian forces standing guard of the Sinai. Allon prepared his forces to advance and conquer the Sinai, however, before he was able to do so the British threatened to intervene on the side of the Egyptians should Israel continue to advance.
As a result of the British threat, Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion ordered the IDF to withdraw its forces from the Sinai, relinquishing its control of Gaza and halting the attack on the Sinai.
Had it not been for the British threat to intervene, the Sinai along with Gaza would have been under Israel's control after the War of Independence.
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