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Ehud Eilam holds an MA and a PhD Eilam’s comprehensive, intriguing and important research on a T Based on an insider’s knowledge of
in his field: Israel’s national strategy h weaponry and actual Israeli and Egyptian
possible high-intensity war between Israel and Egypt is essential for
and military doctrine. He has been e battle strategies, this book examines how
involved with the study of those subjects, understanding the challenges both states might face. two of the strongest regional militaries
academically and practically, for more N would likely fight a high-intensity war in
than twenty years. Dr Eilam also worked Brigadier General (Res.) Dr Dani Asher, the Middle East. Ehud Eilam examines
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as a private contractor for a few years as a Military Historian, IDF Colleges how the various factors in play – the
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researcher in his subject for Israel’s battle for air superiority, air-ground
Ministry of Defense. He now resides in t bombardment, armour and infantry
the USA. Ehud Eilam’s study tells the detailed story of more than thirty years of collisions – would shape the outcome of
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the conflict, and discusses each factor
the conventional armed conflict between Egypt and Israel. He brings an
separately in order to highlight its
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original analysis and research tools which could help understand the r importance.
The analysis draws on previous –
complexity of this confrontation in the past as well as in the future.
b mainly Arab-Israeli – conflicts, and also
Dr Zeev Drory, Col. (Ret.), Kinneret College, Israel e The Next War on the author’s twenty years of experience
t in studying and doing research on Israel’s
w national strategy and military doctrine.
Dr Ehud Eilam successfully explains in this book the operational issues e Fascinating new issues such as the
between demilitarisation of the Sinai Peninsula and
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involved in the build-up and performance of Israel’s armed forces.
the fact that both armies are largely
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Eilam’s accurate analysis of the challenges of modern warfare and his equipped with US military hardware are
looked at. How would the lack of military
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conclusions based on past wars elucidate the military complexity of a
s Israel and Egypt infrastructure in the peninsula dictate the
vast and multi-dimensional arena. I strongly recommend this book. r course of the conflict? What issues of
a identification and friendly fire would the
Brigadier General (Ret.) Alon Friedman, former Chief of Staff of e similarity of equipment bring?
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the IDF’s Northern Command and now Israeli GOC Army Eilam examines the variety of
Headquarters Consultant, Combat Doctrine Department a confrontations that Israel might face, such
n Examining a High-intensity War as high-intensity, hybrid and low-intensity
d wars, and the corresponding variety of
Jacket images: Top: Apache AH-64 Eilam presents a very cogent, judicious and compelling analysis of what between two of the Strongest Militaries responses and strategies it might choose in
gunship (Photographer: Tsvike Israeli. E defence.
Source: Israel’s Government Press the future military confrontation between Israel and Egypt in Sinai in the Middle East Essential reading for anyone interested
g
Office). Bottom: Israeli Patton tanks in could look like. y in modern high-intensity warfare, the
Sinai, the 1973 war (Photographer: Ron Arab-Israeli conflict and the possible
Hillel Frisch, Professor of Political and p
Ilan. Source: Israel’s Government Press future of the Middle East.
Middle East Studies, Bar-Ilan University t
Office).
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ISBN 978 0 85303 838 2 MD
VALLENTINE MITCHELL
Middlesex House 920 NE 58th Avenue
29/45 High Street Suite 300
Edgware, Middlesex Portland, OR 97213-3786
HA8 7UU, UK USA
VALLENTINE www.vmbooks.com VALLENTINE EHUD EILAM
MITCHELL
MITCHELL ISBN 978 0 85303 838 2
THE NEXT WAR BETWEEN
ISRAEL AND EGYPT
e Next War
between
Israel and Egypt
Examining a High-intensity War
between Two of the Strongest
Militaries in the Middle East
Ehud Eilam
VALLENTINE MITCHELL
LONDON • PORTLAND, OR
First published in 2014 by Vallentine Mitchell
Middlesex House, 920 NE 58th Avenue, Suite 300
29/45 High Street, Edgware, Portland, Oregon,
Middlesex HA8 7UU, UK 97213-3786 USA
www.vmbooks.com
Copyright © 2014 Ehud Eilam
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data:
A catalogue record for this has been applied for
ISBN 978 0 85303 838 2 (cloth)
ISBN 978 0 85303 848 1 (ebook)
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
A catalog record has been applied for
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or
introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior
written permission of the publisher of this book.
Printed and bound by CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon, CR0 4YY
Contents
List of Plates vii
Preface ix
Introduction xiii
1. Doctrine and Military Build-up 1
2. Controlling the Skies 17
3. Air–Land Operations 41
4. Land Warfare 55
5. Offence and Defence 65
6. Defence in Depth or Forward Defence? 81
7. Operational Aspects 99
8. Airborne Assaults 109
9. Using Similar Weapons Systems 117
10. Military Infrastructure 133
11. e Sea Arena 151
12. Manpower 163
13. High, Hybrid and Low-intensity Wars 177
14. Reasons for a Future War 199
15. Conclusion 219
Further Reading 241
Index 245
Plates
1. A ground crew arm an F-16.
2. M-109 mobile artillery in Sinai.
3. Egyptian vehicles that were destroyed from the air in the 1967 war.
4. Egyptian cannon at Ras Nasrani, at the gates to the gulf of Eilat/Aqaba,
the 1956 war.
5. Israeli helicopters during the airborne operation in the island of Shadwan,
23 January 1970.
6. Israeli tanks crossing an obstacle during an exercise in the Negev.
7. Israeli troops in the sand of Sinai, the 1973 war.
8. Israeli infantry near their M-113 vehicles.
Preface
Israel and Egypt were entangled in a prolonged conflict from the late 1940s
until the late 1970s, when they reached a peace agreement. e Israeli
attention was turned to deal with the Palestinians, Hezbollah, Syria and Iran.
Still, there could be a severe crisis and even a war between Israel and Egypt.
is book focuses on a future war (a high-intensity war between Israel
and Egypt solely). Israel would have to rely on its own forces and Egypt
probably too, since its traditional allies are in decline. In Syria there is a civil
war. e people of Iraq barely keep their state together. Jordan has its own
internal troubles. Arab states in the Gulf are busy with Iran. e latter is an
enemy of Israel but Iran is not a natural ally of Egypt. e mostly Sunni state
and the mostly Shiite state have basic strategic disagreements and they both
wish to dominate the region. ey have also never fought together against a
common foe, let alone against Israel. is is also true about Egypt and the
Hezbollah. Another non-state organization, the Hamas in the Gaza Strip,
might assist Egypt, but this group, which is militarily quite weak, would not
have much of an impact on a future war.
e book examines the way a future war might look following
developments since the early 1980s, mostly the demilitarization of most of
the Sinai Peninsula and the military build-up of both Egypt and Israel, yet
the emphasis is on the linkage between a future war and past wars (wars
between Israel and Egypt, even those that included other states, i.e. 1948–
49, 1956, 1967, 1967–70 and 1973). Military history carries a lot of weight
because the two militaries would collide in the same battlefield they have
fought in since 1948, the Sinai. Although in the last decades there have been
many changes in the Israeli and Egyptian militaries, such as in the accuracy
of firepower, they still are reliant on their air force, armour, infantry and
artillery as in past wars; therefore combat patterns from previous wars could
be relevant in a future war. is is why the estimated time period for when
such a future war might happen is for as long as Egypt and Israel continue
to depend on weapon systems like tanks, planes, etc.
e book has two major goals: first, analysing military history from 1948–
73, mostly in the strategic and operational dimensions; second, examining
