Operation Focus was a decisive Israeli military strike that launched the Six-Day War. In less than three hours, the Israeli Air Force destroyed nearly 300 Egyptian aircraft, effectively eliminating Egypt's air combat capability and achieving complete air superiority.

Operation Focus stands as one of the most decisive military strikes in modern warfare history. On June 5, 1967, Israel launched this surprise aerial assault against Egyptian airfields, marking the dramatic opening of the Six-Day War. In less than three hours, the Israeli Air Force destroyed nearly 300 Egyptian aircraft, most of them still on the ground.

This bold pre-emptive strike came at a time of escalating tensions in the Middle East. Egypt had recently closed the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping and moved troops into the Sinai Peninsula, while Syria and Jordan positioned their forces along Israel's borders. The success of Operation Focus fundamentally altered the balance of power in the region and demonstrated how air superiority could determine the outcome of modern conflicts.

The weeks preceding Operation Focus marked a period of escalating military tensions between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Regional hostilities intensified as Egypt demonstrated increasingly aggressive military posturing in May 1967.

The Middle East conflict reached a critical point when Egypt expelled UN peacekeeping forces from the Sinai Peninsula on May 16, 1967. Egypt formed military alliances with Syria and Jordan, creating a unified Arab military command structure along Israel's borders. The situation deteriorated further on May 22 when Egypt blocked Israeli shipping access through the Straits of Tiran, an act Israel had previously declared would constitute a cause for war.

Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser deployed 100,000 troops and 1,000 tanks into the Sinai Peninsula by late May 1967. The Egyptian military positioned its aircraft at forward bases near the Israeli border, prompting Israeli intelligence to identify this as a direct threat. Arab forces amassed:

Country	Troops	Tanks	Aircraft
Egypt	100,000	1,000	420
Syria	75,000	400	130
Jordan	55,000	300	28

The concentration of Arab military forces along multiple fronts created a strategic predicament for Israel's defense capabilities. Egyptian radar installations and air defense systems established in the Sinai heightened the Israeli Air Force's concern about maintaining air superiority in the region.

Operation Focus began at 7:45 AM on June 5, 1967, when the Israeli Air Force launched its pre-emptive strike against Egyptian airfields. The operation marked the beginning of the Six Day War with a devastating aerial assault that would reshape Middle East military dynamics.

The Israeli Air Force executed Operation Focus in precise waves, with the first strike destroying 197 Egyptian aircraft in less than two hours. Israeli pilots flew their aircraft at low altitudes to avoid radar detection while approaching Egyptian airfields at Bir Gafgafa, Abu Suweir, and Hurghada. The attack teams maintained radio silence throughout the mission, coordinating their strikes through exact timing protocols. By 10:35 AM, Israeli forces had conducted 164 sorties, destroying Egyptian runways, anti-aircraft positions, and radar installations.

The Israeli military command selected 11 primary Egyptian airfields as initial targets based on comprehensive intelligence gathering. Each target received specific attack protocols:

• Primary airfields housing MiG-21 fighters received first priority

• Secondary bases with Tu-16 bombers ranked second in targeting sequence

• Command and control centers were designated for the third wave

• Radar installations and anti-aircraft positions marked as supporting targets

• Detailed maps of Egyptian air defense systems

• Time-synchronized attack waves every 20 minutes

• Four-aircraft formations for maximum strike efficiency

• Precise fuel calculations allowing 7-minute strike windows

• Multiple entry points to overwhelm Egyptian air defenses

Time (June 5, 1967)	Strike Results
7:45 AM - 8:45 AM	197 aircraft destroyed
8:45 AM - 9:45 AM	107 aircraft destroyed
9:45 AM - 10:35 AM	85 aircraft destroyed

The Israeli Air Force demonstrated exceptional military prowess during Operation Focus through its advanced aircraft fleet, sophisticated weapons systems, and rigorous training programs. The air force's capabilities proved decisive in executing the pre-emptive strike that initiated the Six Day War.

The Israeli Air Force operated a diverse fleet of French-built aircraft during Operation Focus, including:

• 72 Dassault Mirage III interceptors equipped with 30mm DEFA cannons
• 65 Super Mystère fighters carrying air-to-ground missiles
• 24 Mystère IVA ground attack aircraft
• 40 Ouragan fighter-bombers
• 35 Vautour twin-engine bombers

Combat equipment specifications included:

Weapon System	Quantity	Purpose
250kg bombs	500+	Runway cratering
30mm cannons	140+	Air-to-air combat
Rockets	300+	Ground target strikes

The Israeli Air Force implemented specialized training protocols:

• Pilots practiced low-altitude flying at 100 feet to avoid radar detection

• Combat units conducted 15-minute turnaround drills between missions

• Flight crews memorized detailed maps of Arab airfields

• Maintenance teams executed rapid refueling exercises in under 7 minutes

• Pilots performed synchronized timing exercises for coordinated strikes

• Mock attacks on replica airfields

• Radio silence procedures

• Navigation without ground control assistance

• Emergency response scenarios

• Formation flying at different altitudes

Operation Focus devastated Arab air forces through precise, coordinated strikes that eliminated their ability to mount effective aerial resistance during the Six Day War. The Israeli Air Force achieved complete air superiority within hours of the initial attack on June 5, 1967.

The Israeli Air Force destroyed 293 Egyptian aircraft in three hours, including 30 Tu-16 bombers, 27 Il-28 bombers, 12 Su-7 fighters, 90 MiG-21 fighters, 75 MiG-19 fighters, 27 MiG-17 fighters, and 32 transport aircraft. The precision strikes targeted 11 Egyptian air bases, with Israeli pilots executing multiple bombing runs on each facility. Egyptian radar stations and anti-aircraft installations suffered extensive damage, preventing effective defensive responses.

• Jordan lost 28 aircraft, including Hawker Hunters and transport planes
• Syria suffered the destruction of 53 aircraft, primarily MiG-21 and MiG-17 fighters
• Iraq lost 10 Hawker Hunters and MiG-21s at H3 airbase
• Two Lebanese Hawker Hunter aircraft were destroyed on the ground

Country	Aircraft Lost	Primary Types
Egypt	293	MiG-21, MiG-19, Tu-16
Syria	53	MiG-21, MiG-17
Jordan	28	Hawker Hunters
Iraq	10	Hawker Hunters, MiG-21
Lebanon	2	Hawker Hunters

Operation Focus achieved unprecedented military success through precise execution of aerial warfare tactics, establishing Israeli air superiority within hours of the initial strikes.

The Israeli Air Force's strategic victory during Operation Focus resulted in the destruction of 293 Egyptian aircraft in three hours. Israeli pilots executed synchronized attack waves that eliminated 85% of Egypt's air combat capability. The operation disabled critical military infrastructure including:

Target Type	Quantity Destroyed
Combat Aircraft	293
Airfields	11
Radar Stations	23
Anti-aircraft Sites	16

Operation Focus created optimal conditions for Israel's ground operations in the Six-Day War through complete air dominance. The elimination of Arab air forces enabled Israeli ground forces to advance without aerial opposition. Key outcomes included:

• Neutralization of Egyptian air defense networks
• Prevention of Arab air support for ground troops
• Protection of Israeli population centers from aerial attacks
• Disruption of enemy command & control capabilities
• Isolation of Arab ground forces from air cover

Israeli pilots maintained total control of the airspace throughout subsequent operations against Syria Jordan. The destruction of Arab air forces in the opening hours created a strategic advantage that persisted throughout the entire Six-Day War, enabling Israel to conduct offensive operations across multiple fronts simultaneously.

• Operation Focus was launched by Israel on June 5, 1967, marking the start of the Six-Day War with a decisive pre-emptive air strike against Egyptian airfields
• The operation destroyed nearly 300 Egyptian aircraft within just three hours, effectively eliminating 85% of Egypt's air combat capability
• The strike came after escalating tensions, including Egypt's closure of the Straits of Tiran and deployment of 100,000 troops to the Sinai Peninsula
• Israel's Air Force used primarily French-built aircraft and executed precisely timed attack waves while flying at low altitudes to avoid radar detection
• The operation's success extended beyond Egypt, with additional strikes destroying dozens of aircraft belonging to Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon
• Operation Focus achieved complete air superiority for Israel, setting the stage for their victory in the Six-Day War by eliminating Arab air defenses

Operation Focus stands as one of history's most successful pre-emptive strikes marking a turning point in modern military warfare. The Israeli Air Force's swift and decisive action on June 5 1967 demonstrated the critical importance of air superiority in contemporary conflicts.

The operation's remarkable success rate and strategic execution continue to influence military doctrine today. By neutralizing Arab air forces within hours Israel not only secured its immediate survival but also reshaped the balance of power in the Middle East for decades to come.