The Mossad Mission That Fooled Idi Amin, Killed Netanyahu’s Brother And Saved 102 Hostages

Last Updated:November 20, 2025, 4:07 pm IST

On June 27, 1976, German and Palestinian militants hijacked Air France Flight 139 from Tel Aviv to Paris, seizing passengers and crew at gunpoint

Israel’s intelligence agency has a history of executing high-risk missions, from capturing terrorists alive to eliminating targets. One of its most notable successes was the ‘Entebbe Operation’, a dramatic rescue mission involving a plane hijacking by terrorists from two different countries, unarmed passengers, courageous crew members, and determined Israeli commandos. Although the Israeli army led the mission, Mossad was the strategic force behind the scenes.

On June 27, 1976, German and Palestinian liberation groups hijacked Air France Flight 139 en route from Tel Aviv to Paris. Chaos erupted on board as passengers and crew were taken hostage at gunpoint. The hijackers diverted the plane first to Libya and then to Entebbe Airport in Uganda.

Israel Refused To Yield To The Hijackers’ Demands

The hostages were held in the old terminal building. The terrorists separated Israeli and Jewish passengers from the others, demanding the release of prisoners held in Israel and other countries in exchange for the hostages.

Outraged by the hijackers’ demands, the Israeli government opted for military action over negotiations. Mossad quickly gathered essential intelligence about the hostages, the terminal building, and the Ugandan military’s deployment.

How Israel Managed To Outsmart The Ugandan Dictator

The Israeli army secretly planned a daring 4,000-kilometre journey to Uganda to launch a surprise assault. At the time, Uganda was under the rule of dictator Idi Amin, who openly supported the terrorists, further complicating the mission.

After a week of meticulous planning, Mossad finalised a foolproof strategy. On the night of July 3, over 100 Israeli commandos embarked on the mission, flying in four Hercules planes. To mislead the Ugandan forces, the commandos transported a black Mercedes and Land Rovers on their planes. On July 4, they landed at Entebbe Airport and stormed the terminal building.

Ugandan Troops And Hijackers Were Neutralised In Just 53 Minutes

In a swift 53-minute operation, the commandos killed all the terrorists and around 20-30 Ugandan soldiers, successfully rescuing 102 hostages. Tragically, four hostages lost their lives during the mission, and the sole Israeli commando casualty was Yonatan Netanyahu, the elder brother of Israel’s current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who led the mission.

Read More