A New India
Chapter 207 - 207: The Start of War - I

The morning sun cast a golden glow over the Sinai Peninsula.

In the stillness, Egyptian soldiers stood at their posts, weary but alert.

For weeks, rumors of an impending attack had rippled through their ranks. Yet, even the most seasoned among them couldn't predict how soon that threat would materialize.

Their defenses, bolstered in recent days by Indian-supplied anti-aircraft guns and light artillery, gave them a sense of readiness, but in a situation of war you can always expect the unexpected.

At precisely 5:00 AM, the first wave came.

Israeli jets, flying low and fast, appeared suddenly on the horizon.

Their targets were clear: Egyptian air bases and communication centers scattered across the Sinai.

The planes roared through the skies, dropping ordnance with precision, striking Egyptian radar installations and airstrips.

Dust and smoke rose from each hit as explosions echoed across the desert.

In the command center at El Arish, Egyptian officers scrambled.

Orders flew, voices overlapping as they tried to make sense of the sudden onslaught.

General Abdel Hakim Amer, Egypt's deputy commander-in-chief, picked up the phone, barking into it.

"Get every available fighter in the air! I don't care about protocol, launch everything we've got!"

Around him, officers rushed to relay the command.

Egypt's aircraft, outnumbered and outgunned, were hastily prepped for takeoff. Mechanics worked frantically, pulling tarps from MiGs and loading ammunition, even as Israeli jets strafed the runways.

In the midst of the chaos, Captain Hassan, one of the young officers who had trained with Indian advisors, gathered his men in a nearby bunker. "They're going for our radar. Without it, we're blind. We've got to protect it at all costs. Get those anti-aircraft guns in position now."

Hassan's team rushed to deploy the Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft guns India had quietly supplied to Egypt.

The training they'd received just weeks prior was about to be put to the test.

His men positioned the guns and adjusted their aim, waiting for the next wave of Israeli jets.

The Israeli pilots, skilled and unyielding, swooped down again, their targets now clear as day.

But this time, Egyptian anti-aircraft fire erupted in response.

Rounds filled the air, streaking upwards as the Bofors guns spat fire.

One of the Israeli jets took a hit, trailing smoke as it veered off, but the others kept coming, unloading their payloads.

Explosions ripped through nearby installations, and the noise was deafening. Hassan shouted over the roar, directing his men to focus on protecting the radar station that hadn't yet been disabled.

Meanwhile, in the skies, the Egyptian MiG fighters finally lifted off, climbing steeply to intercept the Israeli jets.

But the Israelis had anticipated this. Their pilots, trained to counter Egypt's air force, took evasive action, drawing the Egyptians into an aerial dogfight.

The Egyptian pilots fought fiercely, but they were outnumbered and under-equipped, struggling to keep pace with the well-coordinated Israeli assault.

On the ground, chaos was spreading as Israeli paratroopers began to land in key positions throughout the Sinai, their goal to secure areas like Kusseima and Rafah.

Egyptian ground units, surprised by the speed of the deployment, scrambled to mobilize.

They had been expecting a frontal assault, not an air-ground blitz.

Colonel Youssef, an experienced Egyptian officer, watched the paratroopers descending and quickly shouted orders to his men. "Set up defensive positions around the hills! We can't let them take this ground without a fight."

The Egyptian soldiers, using light artillery provided by India, began to fire at the Israeli paratroopers, slowing their advance.

But the Israelis were well-prepared. They had trained extensively for desert warfare and moved swiftly, utilizing cover and coordinated maneuvers to minimize their casualties as they pressed forward.

As the Egyptian defenses tried to regroup, news of the invasion reached Cairo.

President Nasser was briefed on the situation.

"They've hit our airfields and landed paratroopers in Sinai. They're moving fast, sir," one of his generals reported.

Nasser's jaw tightened. "Then we move faster. Order our reserves forward. And tell General Amer he's in charge on the ground, he must hold them back."

Back in the Sinai, General Amer directed his troops over a crackling radio. "Hold positions. Do not allow them to advance further south. Reinforcements are on their way."

But reinforcements were hours away, and Amer knew the battle would be over long before they arrived.

He needed to buy time. The Egyptian soldiers, spurred on by Amer's orders, dug in, setting up defensive positions in the rocky terrain.

Captain Hassan, still holding his position near the radar station, received new orders over his radio. "Hassan, the radar is priority. If they disable it, we're blind to the next wave. Hold it at any cost."

He acknowledged the command.

The Bofors guns had held off the first wave, but ammunition was running low. He signaled to one of his men. "Rashid, check the supply truck see if we have more rounds left."

Rashid dashed to the vehicle, returning moments later with a tense expression. "We're low, sir. Enough for one more run, maybe two."

Hassan grimaced. "Then we make each shot count. Set up a perimeter. We're going to hold this position as long as possible."

The second wave of Israeli jets roared in, more determined than before.

The Bofors guns opened fire again, though with noticeably less intensity.

The Israeli planes, now aware of the anti-aircraft positions, adjusted their approach, coming in lower and faster, exploiting gaps in the Egyptian defenses.

Explosions shook the ground as bombs hit near the radar station.

Hassan watched helplessly as the radar station was struck, sending a plume of smoke into the air.

Their line of sight was gone.

"Fall back!" he ordered his men. "Get to the secondary position."

As they retreated, he could see the horizon filled with dust clouds. Israeli tanks, advancing rapidly, were closing in on Egyptian positions at Rafah.

The tanks, combined with paratroopers who had established a foothold, moved with precision.

The Egyptians, lacking comparable armor, tried to hold their ground with portable rocket launchers, but they struggled against the superior Israeli firepower.

Colonel Youssef, directing his men from behind a makeshift barricade, cursed under his breath as the Israeli tanks drew closer. "We need support out here! Where are the reserves?"