Battle of Rumani Coast

Battle of Rumani Coast Part of the War of Attrition Victorious Israeli MTB crew raise the broom on the topmast as a traditional maritime sign of victory. Date July 11, 1967 Location Sinai coast, near Rumani vicinity Result Israeli victory Belligerents Israel Egypt Commanders and leaders Yitzhak Shushan Eli Rahav Unknown Strength 1 destroyer 2 torpedo boats 2 torpedo boats Casualties and losses None Two MTBs sunk, no known survivors

The Battle of Rumani Coast (Hebrew: קרב רומני‎) was a naval engagement that took place on the night of July 11, 1967 between Israeli and Egyptian naval forces, near the vicinity of Rumani. Two Egyptian torpedo boats were sunk in the action for no Israeli losses.^[1]

Background

Following Israel’s victory in the Six-Day War, Israel’s coastline was significantly enlarged and now included the Sinai Peninsula coast.^[1] The Israeli navy now sought to enforce Israeli sovereignty over this large area and began regular patrols of the Sinai coastline up to the approaches of Port Said.^[2]

Battle

On July 9 INS Eilat, an ex-Royal Navy Z Class destroyer commanded by Yitzhak Shushan, set sail due west toward the Sinai coast. INS Eilat subsequently rendezvoused with ex-French Motor Torpedo Boats Aya and Daya. The flotilla patrolled northwest of the Sinai coast, under orders to stop vessels crossing the demarkation line toward the Sinai coast.^[2]

On July 11 at approximately 21:45, the signals intelligence intercept operator in Eilat reported two Egyptian missile boats were about to sortie. The Israeli torpedo boats picked up a target on radar shortly thereafter. The Egyptians were about 15 miles from the MTBs and 12 miles from Eilat, moving east at 15 kn (17 mph; 28 km/h). The Israelis marked a course to intercept. Eilat closed from the north, Aya and Daya from the east. The Egyptian vessels, later identified as P 6-class torpedo boats, discovered the Israeli MTBs approaching at full speed and commenced fire.^[2] The Israelis returned fire with Bofors and Oerlikons. The initial run scored no hits but the Egyptian MTBs dispersed. The separation enabled Eilat to close one and the two MTBs the other. Twenty minutes later, both P 6ss were ablaze. The fire caused their torpedoes to explode. There were no Israeli losses and no known Egyptian survivors.^[2]

References

1. The Israel Navy Throughout Israel's Wars, Jewish Virtual Library
2. Israeli MTB Action off Port Said, July 1967, Aryeh Wetherhorn

Gallery

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  Map of naval battle fought on July 11, 1967 off Sinai coast, written in Hebrew.

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  INS Eilat, Ex Royal Navy Z Class destroyer.

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  Soviet built Egyptian MTB, similar to the ones used by the Egyptians at Rumani.

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  Israeli MTBs. The boat in the background (left), is the command boat T-204 INS Daya. The boat in the foreground is T-203 INS Aya. Both boats took part in the battle.