During the height of fedayeen activity and IDF retaliation in the 1950s, Britain had a defense treaty with Jordan. In 1955-56, the British Chiefs of Staff Committee drew up a plan titled Operation Cordage, that envisioned an Israeli attack on Egypt, Jordan being forced into participation (like in 1967), Israel attacking, and Britain coming to the Jordanians' rescue.
Here was the plan for Operation Cordage:
* Royal Air Force Venoms based at Mafraq and Amman airbases and Royal Navy carrier planes would attack Israeli airbases, and hopefully destroy the Israeli Air Force in 72 hours, though some British officials expected it to take two weeks because IAF pilots were (and still are) well-trained. Canberra bombers would attack IAF bases for up to two weeks. Later, a revised version saw the RAF operating from Cyprus, delaying attacks on the IAF.
* Royal Navy carrier planes would carry out an intense bombing campaign against Israeli ground targets, and sustained airstrikes for up to two weeks. Warships would bombard military bases, power stations, and civilian airfields along the coastal plain. Warships and maritime patrol aircraft would enforce a blockade.
* British infantry, paratroopers, and armored forces would be flown in to Jordan. Their first mission would be to defend the British depot and British lives and property. They could also assist the Jordanian Army in ground operations (the revised version saw them operating under a seperate command) , and they were also to take Eilat, secure Aqaba, and defend Amman.
Israel had its own plans in response. They were mainly defensive, but some advocated sending out the Israeli Navy to attack the British base on Cyprus. The British were actually worried about retaliatory IAF attacks on Cyprus, considered a "highly inconvenient" scenario due to the military buildup there for Operation Musketeer (the Anglo-French attack on Egypt in the Suez Crisis). The British recognized that Israel could seriously interfere with Operation Musketeer if Israel attacked Jordan during Operation Musketeer and the British responded, and they planned treat Operation Cordage as priority over Operation Musketeer. The Chiefs of Staff Committee advised that any action against Israel should be avoided until the conclusion of Musketeer.
The British expected that the blockade and airstrikes would force Israel out of the West Bank within about six months. The British Joint Planners knew that Britain could do very little in the face of a determined invasion of Jordan, and said that the only practical action against Israel would be to wage a war of attrition until the IAF had to stop to prevent it from becoming too weak against the Arabs.
Most people don't know how close this actually came to happening. In October 1956, King Hussein asked for help after a major Israeli raid in Qalqilya, and the British explicitly threatened Israel with war. One senior RAF commander later said that he did not know whether he was to attack Egyptian or Israeli airfields until 24 hours before the start of Musketeer.
So what happens if this actually goes through? Thoughts anyone? I honestly have no idea how it would play out. The British had, and still have a premier military capable of massive power-projection, but they would be committing a portion of their military power. Even at the time, the IDF was considered the best military in the region, and it would have all its military resources available. But Israel would be struggling to withstand an onslaught by one of the most powerful nations on earth, and all it needed then would be for Egypt to invade.
I would think that the United States would intervene with economic to bring this war to an end very quickly. Israel would be asked to leave Jordanian territory, the British to stop their attacks and lift the blockade. Sanctions on any side that doesn't comply.
Here was the plan for Operation Cordage:
* Royal Air Force Venoms based at Mafraq and Amman airbases and Royal Navy carrier planes would attack Israeli airbases, and hopefully destroy the Israeli Air Force in 72 hours, though some British officials expected it to take two weeks because IAF pilots were (and still are) well-trained. Canberra bombers would attack IAF bases for up to two weeks. Later, a revised version saw the RAF operating from Cyprus, delaying attacks on the IAF.
* Royal Navy carrier planes would carry out an intense bombing campaign against Israeli ground targets, and sustained airstrikes for up to two weeks. Warships would bombard military bases, power stations, and civilian airfields along the coastal plain. Warships and maritime patrol aircraft would enforce a blockade.
* British infantry, paratroopers, and armored forces would be flown in to Jordan. Their first mission would be to defend the British depot and British lives and property. They could also assist the Jordanian Army in ground operations (the revised version saw them operating under a seperate command) , and they were also to take Eilat, secure Aqaba, and defend Amman.
Israel had its own plans in response. They were mainly defensive, but some advocated sending out the Israeli Navy to attack the British base on Cyprus. The British were actually worried about retaliatory IAF attacks on Cyprus, considered a "highly inconvenient" scenario due to the military buildup there for Operation Musketeer (the Anglo-French attack on Egypt in the Suez Crisis). The British recognized that Israel could seriously interfere with Operation Musketeer if Israel attacked Jordan during Operation Musketeer and the British responded, and they planned treat Operation Cordage as priority over Operation Musketeer. The Chiefs of Staff Committee advised that any action against Israel should be avoided until the conclusion of Musketeer.
The British expected that the blockade and airstrikes would force Israel out of the West Bank within about six months. The British Joint Planners knew that Britain could do very little in the face of a determined invasion of Jordan, and said that the only practical action against Israel would be to wage a war of attrition until the IAF had to stop to prevent it from becoming too weak against the Arabs.
Most people don't know how close this actually came to happening. In October 1956, King Hussein asked for help after a major Israeli raid in Qalqilya, and the British explicitly threatened Israel with war. One senior RAF commander later said that he did not know whether he was to attack Egyptian or Israeli airfields until 24 hours before the start of Musketeer.
So what happens if this actually goes through? Thoughts anyone? I honestly have no idea how it would play out. The British had, and still have a premier military capable of massive power-projection, but they would be committing a portion of their military power. Even at the time, the IDF was considered the best military in the region, and it would have all its military resources available. But Israel would be struggling to withstand an onslaught by one of the most powerful nations on earth, and all it needed then would be for Egypt to invade.
I would think that the United States would intervene with economic to bring this war to an end very quickly. Israel would be asked to leave Jordanian territory, the British to stop their attacks and lift the blockade. Sanctions on any side that doesn't comply.
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