October 7, 1973 · Eastern Mediterranean Theater
October 7, 1973
On the second night of the war, Israeli missile boats clashed with Syrian torpedo boats and minesweepers off the coast of Latakia — the first ship-to-ship missile battle in history. Israeli Sa'ar-class corvettes used Gabriel anti-ship missiles to destroy three Syrian vessels. Syrian Styx missiles — longer-ranged than the Israeli Gabriels — were decoyed by chaff clouds and electronic countermeasures, missing their targets entirely. The battle lasted under 30 minutes.
Commanders