Invasion of southern Lebanon by Israel as part of the Lebanese Civil War
Not to be confused with the South Lebanon conflict (1985–2000).
1978 South Lebanon conflict
Part of the Palestinian insurgency in South Lebanon and the Israeli–Lebanese conflict
Israeli soldiers meeting with Lebanese ex-military officer Saad Haddad during the invasion
Date
14–21 March 1978
Location
South Governorate and Nabatieh Governorate
Result
Israeli victory
Territorial changes
Palestinian withdrawal from South Lebanon
Belligerents
Israel SLA
PLO
Commanders and leaders
Mordechai Gur
Avigdor Ben-Gal
Saad Haddad
Antoine Lahad
Yasser Arafat
Casualties and losses
18 killed 113 wounded[1]
300–550 killed[1][2][3]
1,100[2][3] to 2,000[4][5] killed in total (both combatants and civilians) 100,000 to 250,000 internally displaced[4][5]
v
t
e
Lebanese Civil War
First phase: 1975–1977
Bus massacre
Black Thursday
Hotels
ASALA insurgency
Black Saturday
Karantina
Damour
1976 Syrian intervention
Tel al-Zaatar
Chekka
Aishiyeh
Second phase: 1977–1982
Chouf
St George's Church attack
Hundred Days' War
Litani
Kaukaba
Ehden
Qaa
Qnat
At Tiri
Safra
Zahleh
1981 Israeli bombing
Iraqi Embassy bombing
Third phase: 1982–1984
1982 Beirut bombing
1982 Lebanon War
1982 Iranian diplomats kidnapping
Assassination of Bachir Gemayel
Sabra and Shatila
U.S. Embassy bombing
Barracks bombings
Mountain War
Tripoli
February 6 Intifada
1984 Sohmor massacre
Fourth phase: 1984–1990
U.S. embassy annex bombing
War of the Camps
1985 Beirut bombings
LF coup
Assassination of Rashid Karami
War of Brothers
War of Elimination
War of Liberation
Dahr al-Wahsh massacre
Assassination of René Moawad
Sidon
Cantons and puppet states
East Beirut canton
People's Republic of Tyre
Northern Canton
Civil Administration of the Mountain
State of Free Lebanon
South Lebanon security belt
administration
v
t
e
Palestinian insurgency in South Lebanon
Engagements
El Al Flight 426 hijacking
El Al Flight 253 attack
retaliation raid
El Al Flight 432 attack
TWA Flight 840 hijacking (1969)
Avivim school bus bombing
Lod Airport massacre
Sabena Flight 571
1972 air raid
Kiryat Shmona massacre
Ma'alot massacre
1974 Nahariya attack
Savoy Hotel attack
Kfar Yuval hostage crisis
Coastal Road massacre
1978 South Lebanon conflict
1979 Ma'alot attack
1979 Nahariya attack
Misgav Am hostage crisis
1981 bombing of Lebanon
1982 Lebanon War
siege of Beirut
International incidents
Munich massacre
Operation Wrath of God
1972 raid
Israeli Bangkok Embassy hostage crisis
1973 raid
Sabena Flight 571 hijacking
Attack on the Saudi Embassy in Khartoum
1973 New York City bomb plot
1973 Athens Hellinikon International Airport attack
TWA Flight 841 (1974)
Pan Am Flight 110
Operation Entebbe
The 1978 South Lebanon conflict (codenamed Operation Litani by Israel) began after Israel invaded southern Lebanon up to the Litani River in March 1978, in response to the Coastal Road massacre near Tel Aviv by Lebanon-based Palestinian militants. The conflict resulted in the deaths of 1,100–2,000 Lebanese and Palestinians, 20 Israelis, and the internal displacement of 100,000 to 250,000 people in Lebanon. The Israel Defense Forces gained a military victory against the Palestine Liberation Organization as the latter was forced to withdraw from southern Lebanon, preventing it from launching attacks on Israel from across its land border with Lebanon. In response to the outbreak of hostilities, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 425 and Resolution 426 on 19 March 1978, which called on Israel to immediately withdraw its troops from Lebanon and established the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
^ abKober, Avi: Israel's Wars of Attrition: Attrition Challenges to Democratic States, p. 64
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Global Information
Israel
SLA
PLO