Mitla Clash Diverts Attention From Wider Offensive
Moshe Dayan's general staff continued the wider Sinai campaign while the Mitla engagement absorbed men and resources from the parachute brigade.
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1956 in Israel — Page 4
Explore 243 historical events and records for Israel in 1956.
Historical records for Israel in 1956
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 243 unique records.
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October
Mitla Firefight Continues Through Difficult Ground
Ariel Sharon's men fought across rocky approaches and constricted sections of the pass where extracting wounded soldiers was hazardous.
Mitla Gorge Fighting Inflicts Heavy Losses
Ariel Sharon's paratroopers engaged Egyptian defenders in the Mitla Pass area, suffering substantial casualties during intense fighting.
Mitla Pass Battle Erupts
Israeli paratroopers entered Mitla Pass and encountered a strong Egyptian ambush that caused substantial casualties on both sides.
Mitla Pass Defensive Fighting
Eitan's paratroopers fight Egyptian forces around the Mitla approaches.
Mitla Pass Entry Ordered
Sharon orders forces into Mitla Pass, where intense fighting develops with Egyptian troops.
Mitla Pass Reconnaissance Authorized
Sharon sent a force into Mitla Pass after disputed discussions about permission to investigate Egyptian positions there.
Mitla Pass Reconnaissance Becomes Major Battle
Ariel Sharon's force entered the narrow Mitla defile, where intense fighting with Egyptian troops caused heavy casualties and later prompted controversy over the engagement.
Mitla Wounded Evacuation Conducted
Israeli forces evacuated their wounded after the costly fighting in Mitla Pass as the wider Sinai offensive continued.
Narrow Terrain Restricts Israeli Maneuver
Ariel Sharon's soldiers faced steep ground and confined roads that limited maneuver and exposed advancing vehicles to Egyptian fire.
Ninth Brigade Southern Advance
Yoffe leads the 9th Brigade on a rapid southward advance through difficult Sinai terrain.
Northern Sinai Assault Targets Egyptian Garrisons
Israeli forces attacked Egyptian positions in northern Sinai as the invasion expanded toward the Mediterranean coastal routes.
Paratroopers Fight Entrenched Egyptian Resistance
Ariel Sharon's brigade fought Egyptian troops occupying positions around the pass, turning a reconnaissance effort into a costly battle.
Paratroopers Hold Eastern Mitla Approaches
Raphael Eitan's airborne troops maintained their foothold near Mitla while the larger brigade fought to control nearby approaches and communications.
Paratroopers Maintain Link to Eastern Airhead
Raphael Eitan's airborne troops helped preserve the Israeli position at the eastern end of Mitla while fighting occurred farther into the defile.
Rafah El-Arish El-Qantara Axis Command
Laskov commands the divisional drive along the Rafah, El-Arish and El-Qantara axis.
Reconnaissance Patrol Enters Mitla Gorge
Ariel Sharon sent a force into Mitla Pass during a reconnaissance that escalated into a pitched engagement with Egyptian defenders.
Ruafa Dam Captured
Ben-Ari's 7th Armoured Brigade captures Ruafa Dam during its westward advance.
Sinai Air Reconnaissance Missions
Tolkowsky's air force conducts reconnaissance missions supporting Israeli commanders during the rapid Sinai advance.
Sinai Armoured Advance Accelerated
Dayan presses Israeli columns westward as Egyptian resistance weakens in several sectors.
Sinai Ground Support Missions Expanded
Tolkowsky's air force expands close support for Israeli ground formations advancing across Sinai.
Tenth Brigade Attack at Umm Qatef
Wallach directs the 10th Brigade in an unsuccessful assault against Egyptian positions at Umm Qatef.
Thirty-Seventh Brigade Attack at Umm Qatef
Wallach commits the 37th Brigade against Umm Qatef, where Egyptian defences stop the attack.
Umm Qatef Assault Stalled
Wallach's forces encounter strong Egyptian resistance and attacks against Umm Qatef are halted.
French Alliance
Strengthens Israeli-French defence cooperation before the Sinai Campaign.
French Arms Cooperation Expanded
Peres expands French-Israeli defence cooperation as planning for a Sinai operation accelerates.
November
Airborne Soldiers Reorganize Following Desert Clash
Raphael Eitan's paratroopers reorganized near Mitla after several days of operations that began with an isolated airborne landing.
Armoured Corps Leads Northern Advance
Laskov employs armour at the front of the northern advance, demonstrating the growing battlefield role of Israeli armoured forces.
Command Reviews Costs of Mitla Engagement
Moshe Dayan assessed reports of the fighting at Mitla against the campaign's broader objectives and the heavy losses sustained there.
Egyptian Sinai Withdrawal Accelerates
Israeli advances and Anglo French air attacks contributed to the Egyptian decision to withdraw many forces westward.
El-Arish Approaches Reached
Laskov's 77th Division reaches the approaches to El-Arish after advancing along the northern axis.
Gaza and Sinai Fronts Coordinated
Simhoni coordinates operations across both the Gaza and central Sinai fronts.
Gaza Campaign Overwhelms Egyptian Positions
Israeli forces under Southern Command captured important positions in the Gaza Strip during the wider Sinai offensive.
Gaza Sector Assault Coordinated
Dayan coordinates operations aimed at defeating Egyptian forces in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli Aircraft Sustain Advance Across Peninsula
The Israeli air force continued supporting ground operations while Anglo French attacks struck Egypt's airfields and shifted the regional balance.
Israeli Columns Advance Toward Suez Approaches
Moshe Dayan's ground forces pushed westward after opening breaches in Egyptian positions, threatening the routes toward the canal.
Mitla Engagement Shapes Sharon Wartime Reputation
Ariel Sharon's aggressive handling of the battle at Mitla became a prominent and disputed episode in accounts of his military career.
Mitla Units Consolidate Positions After Battle
Ariel Sharon's brigade consolidated its gains after the fierce fighting and attended to the casualties left by the encounter.
Rafah Defensive Complex Falls to Israelis
Asaf Simhoni's Southern Command pressed the attack on the Rafah positions, opening a key corridor for Israeli operations against the Gaza Strip.
Rafah Defensive Line Attacked
Israeli forces attacked the Egyptian defensive complex around Rafah controlling access toward the Gaza Strip and northern Sinai.
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.