694 Chapter 5
villages. The raid was a response to the civilian massacre in Qiryat Shmonah that was
carried out by guerrillas based in Lebanon. The United Nations condemned the April raid
and subsequent raids but did not intervene despite Lebanese requests to do so. Finally,
Egypt threatened action if Israel did not cease its raids. The threat was the last action of
the dispute, but Israel’s focus turned toward its occupied territories and the Arabs there.
Coding changes: End Date changed from December 5, 1975.
MID#3994
Dispute Number: 3994
Date(s): September 16, 1977 to August 20, 1979
Participants: 666 Israel/660 Lebanon
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (Negotiated)
Fatalities: 26–100 deaths
Narrative: On September 16, 1977, Israel began its policy of assisting Lebanese
Christians in their civil war against the Palestinians within Lebanon. Israel sent jets
to attack Khiam—a Palestinian stronghold two miles north of the Israeli-Lebanon
border. On September 19, Israel put its forces along the border on alert, and Lebanese
security forces said that Israeli forces were occupying three new positions near Khiam
the next day. On November 9 and again on the 11th, Israeli jets carried out more
attacks on Palestinian strongholds in southern Lebanon. Lebanese officials denounced
these actions as “Israeli aggression.”
Israeli attacks on the Palestine Liberation Organization in southern Lebanon contin-
ued into 1978. On April 6, Israel informed the United Nations that it would carry out
a withdrawal from its positions, but only behind the UN peacekeeping force and not
completely out of Lebanon. Israeli troops completed their withdrawal from southern
Lebanon on June 13, but on August 3, Israeli planes once again made their way into
Lebanon to bomb Palestinian bases. Israel attacked again on December 20. On Janu-
ary 23, 1979, Israel renewed the conflict with ground forces despite Lebanon’s public
protests. The last raid conducted by Israeli forces on Lebanese territory for at least six
months was on August 20, 1979.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from September 1977. End Date changed from
June 13, 1978. Fatalities changed from Missing.
MID#3448
Dispute Number: 3448
Date(s): August 19, 1980 to July 24, 1981
Participants: 652 Syria, 660 Lebanon/666 Israel
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (Negotiated)
Fatalities: 1–25 deaths
Narrative: This dispute describes actions by Israel in Southern Lebanon during the
Lebanese Civil War. Israel staged a major attack on Palestinian artillery bases on
August 19, 1980. Almost one year of fighting followed in which Syrian-backed posi-
tions shelled Israeli towns and clashed with Israeli troops. Aerial dog fights were
also frequent, including at least one incident that downed a Syrian MiG. By July 10,