Chapter 1
This story is about a secretive operation carried out by one of the best secret agency Mossad of Israel. This was one of the most coveted high profile operations undertaken by this agency. Any failure or negligence at any stage of the operation could have brought catastrophic reactions from all over the world.
People involved in this operation knew the fact that their safe return depended largely upon luck. The situation may take a course that these brave people may not return back to their motherland at all.
Fully aware of the fact that any failure could isolate their country from the international community and returning is also dicey, all the team members were ready to take up the daring challenge.
This is one and the only instance where an entire nuclear plant was bombed and destroyed by the fighter jets. During the end of 1960, Iraq started their nuclear program but they were not able to proceed further due to several factors and their nuclear program continued at a slow pace.
By the end of ’70s, Saddam Hussein created security forces through which he tightly controlled conflicts between the government and the armed forces. He and his Ba’ath Party overthrew the previous regime and became the dictator of Iraq.
Chapter 2
After assuming power, one of the top priorities of Saddam Hussein was to make Iraq a nuclear-powered nation. He negotiated with France and sought their help for building a nuclear power plant for a peaceful purpose like power generation.
Saddam Hussein also agreed to the treaty that nuclear plant will be only for peaceful purpose and not for producing any kind of weapons. France and Iraq were trade partners and Iraq was one of the purchasers of the major weapons.
France decided to help Iraq with its nuclear program solely based on humanitarian grounds after getting assurance that no weapons of mass destruction would be created from this nuclear program.
Iraq purchased an “Osiris” class nuclear reactor from France that was intended for peaceful scientific research and established it at about 17 kilometres southeast from the city of Baghdad.
This did not go down well with Israel and they viewed the reactor with a lot of suspicions. They believed, the reactor was solely purchased for nuclear bombs. Israel discussed the matter with America and France as well as many other countries.
France was committed towards the supply of this nuclear reactor because this will only be used for peaceful purposes as per their agreement with Iraq, so they continued with the setup. Spies of Mossad, the secret service agency of Israel were keeping a close eye on all the developments related to this nuclear plant in Iraq.
Time and again classified information about the nuclear plant may be used for producing weapons of mass destruction, was shared with America but was not of much help. Israel also briefed this to other developed countries through various diplomatic channels but that too did not yield any fruitful result.
Chapter 3
Spies of Mossad continued to funnel out secret information of the nuclear plant. Crucial information was obtained that Iraq was very close to creating a nuclear arsenal. Israel got tensed by this information.
Few days’ later, another crucial information was received, a big shipment of enriched uranium was to be received for this nuclear plant from France by the end of July 1981. Concern was raised by Israel to stop the shipment, but France stated the shipment was for the operation of the nuclear plant for peaceful purpose only.
There was no other option left for Israel to stop Iraq from becoming a nuclear weapon holder country. Israel government then starts an internal discussion about ways to stop Iraq from becoming a nuclear weapon holder country with its intelligence and military personnel.
The idea of destroying the nuclear plant by aerial bombing emerges up in those crucial meetings. The idea was great and everyone appreciated but was full of risk and seemed impossible. The most important risk was related to the isolation of Israel by the world community, as the attack was to happen in a nuclear plant of another country.
Risk of annoying France and America, two important allies of Israel, was also present. On the other hand, it would prove a great threat to Israel, had Iraq became a nuclear-weapon country. So after various internal meetings, it was finally decided that come what may, Israel needs to destroy the nuclear plant in Iraq.
The operation was code-named as ‘Ammunition Hill’. Prime minister of Israel, Menachem Begin approved the operation. The views of Prime Minister Begin was clear that whatever happens to Israel’s fate after this operation will be acceptable to him, but the operation had to be carried on and completed.
This operation was discussed with the leader of opposition Mr Ehud Olmert to take him to confidence. Mr Olmert’s believed that such an operation will isolate Israel from the world community and that would be disastrous for the country.
As a leader of opposition Mr Ehud Olmert was not in support of such an operation, the Israel Prime Minister Mr Menachem Begin assured him that he will not continue further with the operation.
Internally Mr Menachem Begin instructed the team of military personal and Mossad to prepare a plan for the operation. The operation code name was changed from ‘Ammunition Hill’ to ‘Opera’. Few days’ later military and Mossad came up with a definitive plan.
Chapter 4
One of the important aspects of the plan was that, to attack the nuclear plant located about 17 kilometres southeast of Baghdad in Iraq; Israel fighter planes need to pass through the airspace of Jordan and Saudi Arabia. They would never allow the air space to be used by military planes that too of Israel, rather they would intercept Israeli jets.
That year Israel had received F-16 planes from America. The weight of bombs and amount of required fuel needed to be precisely calculated; otherwise the fighter jet would not be able to return.
In case of any adversities, if the jet fighters needed to take any detour then that amount of extra fuel required needed to be calculated precisely. There would be no option of refuelling the jet in a hostile country. There was an immense possibility of fighter jets running out of fuel or intercepted by the enemy air force.
Plan for reaching the destination and dropping bombs was made as full proof as possible but the jets returning to the airbase was depended upon luck and the remaining fuel.
The pilots were told that there are possibilities that they might not return in case of adversities but they should not fail in this mission as this would lead to the isolation of Israel amongst the global community.
The nuclear reactor was being built with the help of France, many French nuclear engineers working along with Iraqi engineers in the plant. Destroying the nuclear plant would mean certain death of French nuclear engineers as well.
In this situation, France would certainly retaliate and may attack Israel. It was found by Mossad, that on Sunday’s the French engineers are on holiday and no French nuclear engineers are available at the nuclear plant.
By the end of July, a large shipment of enriched uranium was to arrive from France. The nuclear plant needed to be cold so that possibility of a radioactive leak is minimal.
Information was received that the plant would be hot during the end of July. Based on all the received information, the date of 7-June-1981(Sunday) was fixed to carry out the operation.
Chapter 5
On 7-June-1981, operation opera was carried out. Eight F-16 fighters flew out from a border base of Israel loaded with bombs. There were another five F-15 A, fighters that were following those lead eight F-16’s.
In case of any adversities these F-15 A, fighters could be able to engage fighters from other countries and the lead pack of eight F-16 could carry out their desired task.
All these fighters were flying at a low range to avoid detection by enemy radar. Though most of the radars and communication system was jammed by Israeli forces but at few of the places they were captured in radars. When inside Jordan’s airspace some of the Israeli fighter jets were detected in radar.
Jordan’s ATC contacted the pilot of Israel jet fighters. The pilots replied in Arabic that they belong to Saudi Arabia and are on a routine sortie and had accidentally entered into Jordan’s airspace. They will be returning to Saudi Arabia and apologized for violating Jordan’s airspace.
Inside Saudi Arabia’s airspace, some of Israel’s fighters were again detected in radar as well. When contacted, Israel jet pilots replied in Arabic that they are jet fighters aeroplanes from Jordan and they are on a routine flight sortie and had accidentally crossed the Saudi airspace. They will be returning to Jordan and apologized for violating Saudi airspace.
Chapter 6
King Hussein of Jordan, who was a friend of Saddam Hussein, was on a vacation at the Gulf of Aqaba in his private yacht. He observed that Israeli fighter jets flying over his yacht at a low altitude and headed towards Iraq. He was aware of Israel’s view on the nuclear plant in Iraq.
He ordered the Jordan authorities to alert Iraqi air force. Mossad knew nothing about this vacation trip otherwise they would have laid a different route for the fighter jets. All the communication lines were jammed and hence no information was received by Iraqi authorities.
The fighter jets were flying at a low altitude, and the Iraqi air force was unaware of this attack. The fighter jets reach their desired destination and are captured by the radar installed at the Iraqi nuclear plant, but it was too late. Each fighter jet dropped two bombs at the fixed coordinates.
Total 16 bombs were dropped at the nuclear plant by Israeli air force destroying the nuclear plant completely. With 1 minute 20 seconds the entire operation was completed. Iraqi air force sprung into action.
During the time Iraqi air force would retaliate all the Israel F-16 fighter jets had already left Iraqi airspace. All the fighter planes returned safely and the Iraqi nuclear plant was destroyed completely.
Had this nuclear plant not being destroyed by Israel, the war between Iran and Iraq that lasted for many years would have taken a nuclear turn. Moreover, during Iraq’s accession of Kuwait, America would not have dared to attack Iraq so easily.
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