Operation Thunderbolt

[+MigBuster]

On 27 June 1976, four pro-Palestinian terrorists hijacked Air France Flight 139, an Airbus A310, during a flight from Ben-Gurion International Airport, Tel Aviv, Israel, to Paris. After first landing in Benghazi, Libya, the airliner was flown to Entebbe, Uganda. After the arrival of an additional four extremists, the group demanded the release of fifty-three convicted terrorists held in Israel and Germany by Thursday, 1 July.

Threatened with the execution of the hostages and having little choice, the Israeli government announced that it would enter into negotiations with the terrorists. The hijackers released the non-Jewish passengers on 1 July, while retaining 104 Israelis and non-Israeli Jews. The terrorists issued a new ultimatum with a deadline of 2:00 p.m. local time on Sunday, 4 July.

Meanwhile, by the third day of the crisis, planning for a rescue mission had begun in earnest. Named Operation Thunderbolt, the plan called for Israeli Air Force, or IAF, aircrews to fly four C-130Hs more than 2,500 miles from Israel to Uganda in complete secrecy................

http://lockheedmartin.com/us/news/features/2016/C1OperationThunderbolt.html

 

[xrearl]

That was a awesome,raid recue!

[Nesher]

It's better known in Israel as "Operation Yehonatan" since the Sayeret Matkal (IDF's commando) commander was killed during the raid

Yoni, was PM Benjamin's brother and one of the people who came up with the crazy idea to rescue the hostages

 

<S> Yoni and to the brave men of the Sayeret!

[ShrikeHawk]

They made a TV Movie about this called, "Raid on Entebbe." Found it here:

 

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2l49g5