A 1967 Israeli air and naval attack on a U.S. Navy vessel killed 34 Americans and sparked lasting controversy over whether it was deliberate or accidental.
Key Facts
- Date of attack
- 8 June 1967
- Crew killed
- 34 people
- Crew wounded
- 171 people
- Attack duration
- 23 minutes
- Israeli compensation (killed)
- 3.32 million (1968) USD
- Final material damage settlement
- 6 million (1980) USD
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
During the Six-Day War in June 1967, the USS Liberty, a U.S. Navy technical research ship, was stationed in international waters north of the Sinai Peninsula. Israeli forces later claimed they misidentified the vessel as an Egyptian ship amid active combat operations, though survivors and some officials disputed this explanation.
On 8 June 1967, Israeli Air Force jets and Navy motor torpedo boats attacked the USS Liberty in a combined assault lasting 23 minutes. The attack involved strafing, napalm bombing by Mirage III and Super Mystère fighters, and torpedo fire from motor boats, with one torpedo striking the ship. Israeli forces halted the attack believing the vessel was sinking.
The attack killed 34 crew members and wounded 171, severely damaging the ship. Israel apologized and paid compensation totaling over $12 million across three settlements. Controversy persisted for decades, with senior U.S. officials including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff alleging the attack was deliberate and that a cover-up had been ordered by President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent