Atlas of Battles

battle, Cold War

Battle of Nirim

Battle of Nirim was a battle fought on 15 May 1948 at Nirim, in what is now Israel. It was part of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, which ran from 1948 to 1949. The recorded result: Israeli victory. Recorded strength: 39–45 against 500–800.

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Sign at kibbutz Nirim in Israel, reading: "Not the tank will prevail, but the man". The sign was put up for the May 1 celebrations in 1948.
Sign at kibbutz Nirim in Israel, reading: "Not the tank will prevail, but the man". The sign was put up for the May 1 celebrations in 1948.. Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought15 May 1948
WhereNirim, Israel31.239N, 34.338E
OutcomeIsraeli victory
BelligerentsIsrael (Haganah)againstKingdom of Egypt
Casualties and losses7 killedand30–35 killed
Part of1948 Arab–Israeli War1948 to 1949

Where it sits in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War

Battles of Kfar Darom, 1947Operation Danny, 1948Battles of the Kinarot Valley, 1948Battle of Jenin, 1948Operation Death to the Invader, 1948Battle of Yad Mordechai, 1948Operation Shoter, 1948Battle of Hill 86, 1948Battle of Gesher, 1948Battle of Nirim, 1948Bombing of Tel Aviv in the Arab-Israeli War of 1948, 1948Battles of Latrun, 1948Operation Pleshet, 1948Battle of Qaqun (1948), 1948Battles of Malkia, 1948Battle of Nitzanim, 1948Battles of Negba, 1948Bombardment of Cairo, 1948Battle of Be'erot Yitzhak, 1948Battles of the Separation Corridor, 1948Battle of Beersheba, 1948Operation Shmone, 1948Operation Horev, 1948Battle of 'Auja, 1948Battles of the Sinai, 1948Battle of Rafah, 1949British-Israeli Air Incident, 1949Operation Uvda, 194919471949Battle of Nirim, 1948
32 placed engagements of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date15 May 1948
PlaceNirim, Israel
31.239N, 34.338E
KindBattle, Cold War
Strength39–45500–800
Casualties and losses7 killed30–35 killed
Commanders
  • Haim Bar-Lev
Battle of NirimBattle of NirimBattle of RaphiaBattle of RafaBattle of RafahBattle of Hill 86Battle of El Buggar RidgeBattle of RafahBattle of Hill 86Battle of El Buggar RidgeTel AvivAmmanJerusalemNablusAl KarakAl KhalilRamlaMa'an100 km31.239N, 34.338E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1948

Battle of Nirim is one of 4,429 engagements of the 20th century in the atlas and one of 179 in present-day Israel.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q4871899, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Nirim, revision 1375608181, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.