The Assassination Attempt on Israeli Ambassador That Sparked the Lebanon War
On This Day: Palestinian terrorists attempt assassinating Israeli ambassador, prompting Lebanon War
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On June 3, 1982, Palestinian terrorists attempted to assassinate Shlomo Argov, Israel's ambassador to the UK, triggering the Lebanon War. The conflict resulted in significant casualties, the expulsion of the Palestine Liberation Organization from Lebanon, and the rise of Hezbollah, influenced by Iraq's Saddam Hussein.
- 01The assassination attempt on Shlomo Argov was carried out by members of the Abu Nidal Organization, supported by Saddam Hussein's regime.
- 02The First Lebanon War began on June 6, 1982, following the assassination attempt, leading to an 18-year Israeli military occupation of southern Lebanon.
- 03The conflict resulted in the deaths of 657 Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers from 1982 to 1985, with additional casualties during the occupation until 2000.
- 04Argov was left paralyzed and lived in a rehabilitation center until his death in 2003, expressing regret over the war's consequences.
- 05The war facilitated the establishment of Hezbollah by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in 1982.
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On June 3, 1982, Shlomo Argov, Israel's ambassador to the UK, was shot in an assassination attempt by members of the Abu Nidal Organization, a Palestinian terror group aligned with Saddam Hussein's Iraq. This incident triggered Israel's invasion of Lebanon on June 6, leading to the First Lebanon War. The conflict resulted in the expulsion of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) from Lebanon and an 18-year military occupation by Israel. The war caused the deaths of 657 IDF soldiers between 1982 and 1985, with additional casualties during the occupation until 2000. The attempted assassination was politically motivated, aiming to weaken Syrian influence in Lebanon. Argov survived the attack but was left paralyzed and spent the rest of his life in a rehabilitation center, expressing sorrow over the war's toll. The war also paved the way for the establishment of Hezbollah by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Argov died in 2003 at the age of 73.
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The Lebanon War had profound effects on Israeli and Lebanese society, leading to significant military and civilian casualties.
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