First Lebanon War

First Lebanon War
Michael Zarfati · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Conflict	1982 Lebanon War
Partof	Lebanese Civil War and Israeli–Palestinian conflict
Date	6 June – 1985 (major operations 1982)
Place	Lebanon, Beirut, Sidon, Tyre, Beqaa Valley, Rashaya
Result	Israeli tactical victory; PLO relocation to Tunisia; Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon; political consequences in Israel and Lebanon
Combatant1	Israel; Israeli Defense Forces (IDF); Likud-led government
Combatant2	Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO); Fatah; Syrian Arab Army; Lebanese militias including Lebanese Forces and Amal Movement
Commander1	Menachem Begin; Ariel Sharon; Rafael Eitan; Moshe Levi
Commander2	Yasser Arafat; Hafez al-Assad; Bashir Gemayel; Elie Hobeika
Casualties1	Thousands wounded; hundreds killed
Casualties2	Thousands killed and wounded; many deported
Casualties3	Large civilian casualties in Beirut and refugee camps

First Lebanon War

The First Lebanon War was a 1982 Israeli military invasion of Lebanon aimed at expelling the Palestine Liberation Organization from southern Lebanon and reshaping regional power balances involving Syria, Lebanese militias, and international actors. The campaign combined air strikes, ground incursions, sieges, and urban warfare culminating in the siege of Beirut and political upheaval that reshaped Lebanon's civil war dynamics and affected Israeli domestic politics and Arab League diplomacy.

Background and Prelude

In the late 1970s and early 1980s escalating hostilities between the PLO and Israel, cross-border raids around Kiryat Shmona, and the 1978 Operation Litani set the stage for a larger intervention that involved Beirut and the Beqaa Valley. The Lebanese Civil War had fragmented authority among actors including Phalangist Party leader Bashir Gemayel, Amal Movement leader Nabih Berri, and militia commanders such as Elie Hobeika, while regional patrons like Syria under Hafez al-Assad and patrons of Palestinian factions like Yasser Arafat complicated mediation efforts by the United Nations and the Arab League. Domestic Israeli politics under Menachem Begin and the influence of Defense Minister Ariel Sharon pushed for direct military action following incidents including the Tyre and Sidon clashes and the attempted assassination of Israeli targets by Black September and other guerrilla groups.

Major Combat Operations and Phases

The invasion, launched on 6 June 1982, combined aerial campaigns by the Israeli Air Force targeting PLO infrastructure in Beirut and artillery and armored thrusts into southern Lebanese towns like Tyre, Sidon, and Qlaiaa. The IDF advanced through the Beqaa Valley engaging Syrian Arab Army detachments and Lebanese militias such as Lebanese Forces loyal to Bashir Gemayel, culminating in the siege of West Beirut and the bombardment of Palestinian refugee camps including Shatila and Sabra. Key operations included the capture of strategic passes near Rashaya and battles around the Awali River, with clashes involving Israeli commanders Moshe Levi and Rafael Eitan against PLO field commanders and Syrian units. The assassination of Bashir Gemayel in September 1982 precipitated militia reprisals in the Sabra and Shatila massacre, further complicating the military and political calculus and provoking international condemnation involving the United Nations Security Council.

International and Diplomatic Reactions

Global responses involved the United States under President Ronald Reagan, which brokered the May 17 Agreement attempts and deployed a multinational force including United States Marines, French Army and Italian Navy contingents to oversee PLO withdrawal and provide security in Beirut. The Soviet Union criticized the invasion and increased support for Syria and allied factions, while the Arab League convened emergency sessions and issued condemnations. The United Nations passed resolutions calling for ceasefires and humanitarian access, and the International Committee of the Red Cross and nongovernmental organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch documented abuses. Diplomatic fallout affected Israeli domestic politics, triggering investigations like the Kahan Commission and straining Israel–United States ties despite continued strategic cooperation.

Humanitarian Impact and Civilian Consequences

Urban sieges and artillery bombardment of Beirut and southern Lebanese towns produced widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure, damage to hospitals like Hotel Dieu, displacement of hundreds of thousands of Lebanese and Palestinian civilians to Tripoli and Sidon, and acute shortages tracked by relief agencies including the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The Sabra and Shatila massacre led to international outrage and allegations against Israeli-allied militias and the IDF, provoking investigations and human rights reports by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Refugee camps such as Rashidieh and Burj al-Barajneh suffered casualties and long-term trauma, while infrastructure damage to ports, power stations, and municipal services hindered post-conflict recovery and increased regional humanitarian burdens addressed in appeals to the European Community and the World Food Programme.

Aftermath, Occupation, and Withdrawal

After the PLO evacuated to Tunisia under international guarantees monitored by the Multinational Force in Lebanon, Israel established a security zone in southern Lebanon and supported the South Lebanon Army as a proxy force. Continued low-intensity conflict with guerrilla groups, notably the rise of Hezbollah backed by Iran and Syria, led to protracted occupation, cross-border shelling, and periodic operations such as the 1993 and 1996 incursions. Domestic fallout included the resignation of Ariel Sharon following the Kahan Commission findings and shifts in Israeli public opinion that influenced subsequent elections and policies toward Lebanon and the Palestinian territories. Complete Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon occurred in 2000, reshaping the strategic picture, while the legacies of urban destruction, displacement, and sectarian political realignments continued to affect Lebanese reconstruction, sectarian balance, and regional diplomacy involving actors like Iran, Syria, France, and the United States.

Category:1982 in Lebanon Category:Arab–Israeli conflict