Key Facts
- Date
- December 10–11, 1955
- Syrian killed in action
- 54
- Syrian prisoners taken
- 30
- IDF fatalities
- 6
- Duration
- 2 days
Strategic Narrative Overview
On the night of December 10–11, 1955, Israeli Defense Forces launched a coordinated raid against fortified Syrian positions along the north-eastern shores of the Sea of Galilee. The operation, also called Operation Kinneret, was conducted swiftly and successfully. Israeli forces destroyed the Syrian emplacements, killed fifty-four Syrian soldiers, and captured thirty more, while suffering six fatalities of their own.
01 / The Origins
In the mid-1950s, Syria repeatedly attacked Israeli fishing vessels operating on the Sea of Galilee, a strategically sensitive body of water whose north-eastern shores bordered Syrian-controlled territory. These provocations created ongoing tension between Israel and Syria in the period following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, prompting Israel to plan a military response to neutralise the Syrian emplacements responsible for the harassment.
03 / The Outcome
The operation achieved its immediate military objectives: Syrian fortifications were dismantled and the threat to Israeli fishing was eliminated. Israel sustained six dead while inflicting significantly heavier losses on Syrian forces. The raid drew international attention to the ongoing border tensions between Israel and Syria and underscored Israel's policy of active reprisal against cross-border attacks during this period.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.