Jets Raid Over Canal

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32166, 9 December 1969, Page 17

Jets Raid Over Canal

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) TEL AVIV, December 8. Israeli jets today again swooped across the Suez Canal and blasted Egyptian military targets in the central sector of the/canal, a military spokesman said in Tel Aviv.

He said all the planes returned safely from the raid, which has become an almost daily occurrence on that front. The strike began about 8 a.m. and lasted 20 minutes, the spokesman said. Meanwhile, Egypt says it sent 250 troops to capture and hold an Israeli position for more than 24 hours in its biggest sortie across the Suez Canal since the 1967 June war. (Last night’s Cairo an-

nouncement brought a swift; denial from Tel Aviv. An Israeli spokesman described the claim as “morale-boosting fantasy,” saying that there was no raid during the day and no Egyptians crossed the canal.)

According to a military spokesman in Cairo, two infantry platoons crossed the northern sector of the* canal on Saturday night, occupied the Israeli position and blew up equipment and installations. The Israelis were reported to have retreated three miles and launched an artillery barrage. - All the Egyptians returned safely to base Isfet night, the

spokesman said. He did not say where along the canal the raid took place or mention Israeli casualties. The previous biggest raid announced by Egypt was .on November 30 when it said about 150 troops stormed an Israeli position in the southern sector of the canal, destroying four tanks, two mortars and blowing up ammunition depots.

The military spokesman ! said that the Egyptians were i backed by special weapons in the latest raid but he did I not elaborate.