USS Liberty Attack: The Day Israel Turned Its Guns on America—And Got Away With It

USS Liberty (AGTR-5) with a starboard list following the 8 June 1967 attack by Israeli forces during the Arab-Israeli “Six-Day War.”


June 8, 1967: In the middle of the Six-Day War, Israeli fighter jets and torpedo boats blasted the USS Liberty for 75 straight minutes, killing 34 American sailors and wounding 174. The "unarmed" spy ship was clearly marked, flying a U.S. flag in international waters. Israel later called it a "tragic case of mistaken identity"—claiming they thought it was an Egyptian horse carrier (yes, really). But survivors saw Israeli pilots strafe life rafts, a war crime suggesting they wanted no witnesses.

The cover-up was instant. LBJ recalled rescue flights to "avoid embarrassing an ally." The CIA buried reports proving Israel knew it was American. To this day, the U.S. government blocks investigations, while Israel pays hush-money to survivors. The lesson? Some "friendships" come with a body count.

(Source: The Arab-Israeli “Six-Day War” and the Attack on USS Liberty (AGTR-5))

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The First Intifada: When Palestinian Kids With Rocks Shook Israel's Whole Military Swagger

The Palestinian Nakba: The Historical Disaster That Still Screams Today

Nakba Explained: The Palestinian Catastrophe That Never Actually Ended