MIDDLE EAST SITUATION REPORT NUMBER 61 (AS OF 2230 EDT)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-543-5-9-4
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: December 19, 2012
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: October 20, 1973
• Content Type: MEMO

No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/19: LOC-HAK-543-5-9-4
NSA reviews
completed ? .
CENTAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY [State Dept. review completed]
20 00tOber,197.3
?
INTELLIGENCE MEMORANDUM:
DIA review(s)
completed.
ON-FILE NSC RELEASE
INSTRUCTIONS APPLY
MIDDLE EAST
SItution Report Number -61
(As of 2230 EDT) '
. .
THE MIttTARY SITUATION
. ,
25X1
IMORI/CDF CO32232261
GENERhL
1. Israeli spokesmen expressed growing confi-
? dence today as the Israeli force on the west, bank of
the Canal expanded its bridgehead. A senior Egyptian
intelligence officer, however, denied Israeli claims
of successes and suggested that. tha Evyytlans were
preparing a major effort against the Israeli forces
on the west. bank. Late today thu Israelis apparently
staged a raid against the Egyptian naval base at
nurghada on the Red Sea about. 200 miles south of the
Sucz Canal. Egypt has denied that the raid took
placei There is no information concerning action
on the east bank of the canal. '
_ . ?
2. The Syrian front was 'relatively quiet today.
The Israelis slightly expanded their salient in the
area between Sasa'and Tell hantar. There are indica-.
tions that additional Arab forces may be sent: to .
Southern Syria. Jordan is preparing to send a second
armored brigade to Syria and the Iraqis reportedly
-intend to or four divisions..
3.
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/19: LOC-HAK-543-5-9-4
.25X1
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/19: LOC-HAK-543-5-9-4
TUE EGYiTIAN FRONT
3. Enraeli forces on the west bank of the canal
continued to expand their bridgehead. Tel Aviv showed
growing confidence during the day and spokesmen talked
of being on the way to "destroying the Egyptian Army."
According to a senior Israeli military official,
Israeli units have now bypassed elements of the Egypt-
ian 4th Armored Division which was reportedly badly
inauled.earlier today. In the southern region of the
west bank, the Israelis claim to have surrounded a -
number of small Egyptian units*, and Tel Aviv says that.
-Israeli tanks are firing across the canal at Egyptian
forces on. the east bank. Tel Aviv reports that its
forces on the west bank captured 50 SAM sites today.
There is no information concerning developments on the
'east bank of ,the canal.
4. In contrast ..t the optimistic Israeli reports,
a senior :Egyptian intelligence officer stated that he ?
toured the west bank today and was able to use roads
that the Isaelis claim to have cut. He did, however, ,
admit that Israeli forces controlled Fayid, and that
the Egyptians had lost 60 tanks in today's fighting.
The Official seemed to display little 'worry over the
.turn of events and stated that-it'is the Israelis who
should be concerned. His later remarks suggested that
the Egyptians plan to mount a major assault to cut'
-off the Israelis fighting on the west bank, and .he
? promised to give full details "in three or four days."
. .
5. On the basis of all 'available information,
We 46 'not believe that the Egyptians have either
sufficient forces on the west bank or the three or
four days necessary to prepare a major operation
against the Israeli force. The Israelis have the
_initiative at the moment and the Egyptians are res-
ponding to Israeli moves.
25X1
25X1
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/19: LOC-HAK-543-5-9-4
25X1
25X1
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/19: LOC-HAK-543-5-9-4
THE SYRiaN trwal.
T. Action was comparatively light on the Syrian
front today as the Syrians and their Arab allies ap-
parently continued to put pressure on the Israeli
salient, but did not mount a major .coordinated counter-
attack. The Israelis expanded the'salient slightly
in the area between sasa.and Tell Aantar. Israeli
Defense Minister Dayan's statement today that the
majority of the Syrian Army had not been put out of
action indiCates that significant .forces--re-equipped
by the Soviet air and sea lift and reinforced by non-
Syrian units--still face.the.israelis in the north.
8. Additional Arab forces may soon join thos?0
in southern .syria. King Husayn is reluctantly pre--
paring to mend a second armored brigade to Syria,
providing that the brigade and the one sent earlier
will operate under a Jordaniah commander, The
'Lebanese military attache-in Baghdad said that the
Iraqis plan .eventually to commit four divisions to
the Syrian front and that the Baghdad-Damascus road
was packed with troops, tanks, and trucks on 19
October.
?IsRAELI .SHIPPING THREATENED
3
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/19: LOC-HAK-543-5-9-4
25X1 :
?
25X1
25X1
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/19: LOC-HAK-543-5-9-4
the Israelis' have asked the
US naval -attadhe if there were any US shiPs in the
vicinity of the Hanna. ISraeli naval action on the
Egyptian Coast may be intended to prevent Egyptian
missile boats from intercepting the ,Hanna.:.,
JORDAN
II.
the Jordanian Ajr. rorce is particulariv anxiclub
obtain pitot tubes since three Hawker-Hunters are cu
t .fault o ui ment.
. ?
One possibilit is to tr
ment via Kuwait,
25X1
25X1
25X1
. 25X1
SOVIET_AIRLIF7
4
NO Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/19 LOC-HAK-543-5-9-4
25X1
25X1
25X1
? 25X1
25X1
? No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/19: LOC-HAK-543-5-9-4
EGYPT
' 13;
a "large number of palefaces in mufti" arrived in
Cairo on 14-15 October. The group, estimated be-
tween 200-300 men, moved into apartments, 'Which until
July 1972, had been occupied .by Soviet military
advisers.
ARAB OXL 4
14. Algiers radio announced late tonight that
Algeria has suspended all oil shipments to the US
And is reducing its.oil production by 10 percent.
Algerian oil exports to the US have been running about
150,000 barrels pot day, or less than one percent of
daily US oil consumption. Saudi Arabia, Libya, Abu
Dhabi, and BAhrain have previously announced a total ,
embargo on US oil shipments and other Arab producers
are almost pertain to follow.
ARAB REACTIONS ?
?
- 15. Although the radiosof the Arab states have
broadcast robcrts of Seare.t.a,ryiciasinger,s. trip to
Moscow, the only commentary yet rocoived comes from
Libya. Radio Tripoli said that it was surprised by
_ .
the US-Soviet discussions, and suggested that, the aim
of the talks was "to make Us desist from liberating
our lands." Tripoli added that "the super powers
must not impose .on us steps that are not in the benefit
of our (Arab) nation."
5
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/19: LOC-HAK-543-5-9-4
25X1
25X1
25X1 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/19: LOC-HAK-543-5-9-4
040
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/19: LOC-HAK-543-5-9-4
25X1 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/19: LOC-HAK-543-5-9-4
040
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/12/19: LOC-HAK-543-5-9-4