Siege of Beirut

Siege of Beirut
Part of the 1982 Lebanon War and the Lebanese Civil War

Syrian T-62 tank destroyed by the IDF in Beirut area, 1982
Date14 June – 21 August 1982
Location
West Beirut, Lebanon
Result Israeli victory
  • Palestinian militants evacuated after peace settlement
  • Destruction of much of Beirut
Belligerents
Israel
SLA
PLO
Syria
LNRF INM
ASALA
PKK
Commanders and leaders
Ariel Sharon
Menachem Begin
Rafael Eitan
Saad Haddad
Strength
76,000 12,000
Casualties and losses
Unknown Unknown
4,000–5,000 Lebanese civilians killed

During the 1982 Lebanon War, the city of Beirut was besieged by Israel following the breakdown of the ceasefire that had been imposed by the United Nations amidst the Lebanese Civil War. Beginning in mid-June, the two-month-long siege resulted in thousands of civilian deaths and the expulsion of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) from Beirut and the rest of Lebanon.