The Palestinian Liberation Organization has been a thorn in Israel’s side for many years now, as nothing more than terrorists who target innocents. Foreign attempts to keep Israel from attacking the PLO have been heeded… until now. With Syria blatantly backing them, and PLO attacks increasing, the time has come for Israel to strike back. We will attack north into Lebanon along coastal roads, inland into the Bekaa Valley and through an amphibious assault south of Beirut.

Col Jaber, head of Iraqi Western Air Defense is in shock. His jaw drops, mouth gaping open as he cannot believe what he is seeing. Eight F-16s painted sand-colored desert camouflage flying in a single-file attack formation at rooftop level hurtles over the outskirts of Baghdad. They bank hard right, slicing white tendrils of vapor in the sky. One at a time they light their afterburners. The crack of jet thunder has people all over Baghdad glancing up, as the jets instantly vault upward on tails of orange fire. Their wings wear the white roundel and blue Star of David. The Israelis are here.

On June 27, 1976 an Air France airliner was hijacked enroute from Israel to Paris, and diverted to Entebbe, Uganda. In response, Israel mounted a daring rescue mission on July 4 using C-130 transports carrying over 100 IDF commandos and escorted by Phantom jet fighters. After flying some 2,500 miles from Israel to Uganda, the Israeli force rescued the hostages within an hour after landing. It was the most daring rescue mission of a generation, that would restore morale for the country and go on to shape modern Israel.

25 years of victories in the Middle East have led to the IAF gaining legendary status. As conflict drags on through the War of Attrition, though, the Israelis become complacent, having gained the Sinai, Gaza, West Bank and Golan Heights in the 1967 War. To the West, the Egyptians continue to receive training and equipment from the Soviet Union, but Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Dyan is unconcerned. Indications and warnings of Egyptian attacks go unheeded… until on October 6th 1973, when both Egypt and Syria launch massive attacks against Israeli positions.