Operation Spring of Youth

Operation Spring of Youth took place on the night of April 9 and early morning of April 10, 1973. Israeli Defence Force special forces units attacked several PLO targets in Beirut and Sidon, Lebanon. The operation had a shocking affect on the PLO.

Main Target

The main target was a pair of seven-story buildings in Muslim west-Beirut, secured by armed guards, which served as headquarters and residence of the PLO leaders. The team attacking the target was mostly based on Sayeret Matkal elite commandos, led by then unit-commander Ehud Barak. (Barak later became IDF Chief of Staff and subsequently Prime Minister). The attacking team also included Yonathan Netanyahu, who became unit commander two years later and became known while leading the hostage rescue operation in Entebbe in which he died. The team approached the buildings as disguised couples (Barak was disguised as a brunette). In the building, the team killed three PLO leaders:

Related Topics:
Sayeret Matkal - Ehud Barak - Yonathan Netanyahu - Hostage rescue operation in Entebbe

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• Yussef El-Najjar (Abou Yussef) - a PLO veteran, previously head of the Lebanese Fatah branches, head of Fatah internal intelligence organization, and Operations Officer for Black September. His latest duties were head of the PLO's political department and one of Yasser Arafat's deputies (third in line of Fatah's leadership). His wife, who tried to protect him, was also killed.
• Kamal Adwan - also a veteran Fatah leader. Responsible for terrorist activities in Israel via the Organization of the Western Sector and later Operations and Intelligence Officer of Black September, responsible for planning terrorist actions against Israeli targets internationally.
• Kamal Nasser - PLO spokesman and member of the PLO Executive Committee.

During the operation, an Italian lady who resided in the building was also killed, as well as two Lebanese policemen. Barak was later given a citation for bravery for his conduct in this operation. All the attackers returned safely.

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