ABSTRACT
The IOF's opening moves on the first day of the war, contrary to Israeli announcements, were primarily aimed at the Syrians. On the morning of the first day of the war, Israeli intelligence did not pick up any sign of Syrian alert or any indication that the Syrians were intending to change their deployment. During the course of the meeting the minister of defense reiterated that the Israel Defense Force would fight the Syrians. The minister also used the occasion to give instructions to the chief of staff and OIC Northern Command concerning the operational flanking moves against the Syrian Army in the Biqa'. The operational picture in the Command at the end of the first day of combat indicated that Israel was fighting the Syrians and the terrorists. The Syrians thickened their network of Syrian Surface-to-Air Missiles batteries in the Biqa', and intelligence indicated that they also intended to introduce, under the missile cover, the Third Division.
