In January 1949, Britain came dangerously close to launching a bombing mission on Tel Aviv after an aerial confrontation with Israeli forces over the Negev Desert. The operation was halted only after direct intervention by then US President Harry Truman, who reportedly called British Prime Minister Clement Attlee with a single instruction: “Don’t.” The near-conflict took place during the final months of Israel’s War of Independence.
The confrontation began when two British reconnaissance planes flying from bases near the Suez Canal spotted smoke from an Israeli convoy recently attacked by Egyptian aircraft. Mistaking the British planes for returning Egyptian attackers, Israeli pilots engaged them, shooting down five aircraft. Israeli losses were minimal, limited mainly to minor damage to a few of their own planes.
After realizing the mistake, Israeli pilots sent a conciliatory message to the British airmen: “Sorry about yesterday, but you were on the wrong side of the fence. Come over for a drink sometime, you'll see many familiar faces.” Despite this gesture, the British command started preparing a retaliatory bombing mission against Tel Aviv, scheduled for dawn. The plan risked igniting direct conflict between two allied nations just months after World War II.
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US diplomats in Cairo quickly informed Washington of the British preparations. Recognizing the potential for a wider Middle East crisis, President Truman personally contacted Prime Minister Attlee. Within hours, the planned British strike was called off, averting a direct confrontation and stabilizing the region during a highly sensitive period.
The incident, often overlooked in mainstream histories, highlights how swift diplomatic action prevented catastrophic escalation. It is recounted in the podcast “Hofert Journalism” by BePo, which examines the tense hours leading up to the planned strike and the decisive American intervention that spared Tel Aviv from attack.
Historians note that the episode underscores the fragility of post-war alliances and the importance of rapid communication in preventing miscalculations during conflict. The cancellation not only preserved peace between Britain and Israel but also reinforced the emerging role of the United States as a decisive mediator in global crises.
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