Battle of the Hotels
The Battle of the Hotels (Arabic: معركة الفنادق, Maʿrakah al-Fanādiq) was a subconflict within the 1975–77 phase of the Lebanese Civil War that occurred in the Minet-el-Hosn hotel district of downtown Beirut. This area was one of the first major battles of the war that began in April 1975. The battle was fought for the possession of a small hotel complex, the St. Charles City Center, adjacent to the gilded Corniche seafront area on the Mediterranean, in the north-western corner of the downtown district of Beirut, and it quickly spread to other areas of central Beirut. The often fierce battles that ensued were fought with heavy exchanges of rocket and artillery fire from the various hotel rooftops and rooms. Sniper fire was commonly utilized.
Battle of the Hotels | |||||||
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Part of the Lebanese Civil War | |||||||
The ruined Holiday Inn Beirut in the hotel district of Beirut, with the Phoenicia in front of it on the right in 2009 | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
PLO
Lebanese Arab Army |
Internal Security Forces | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Ibrahim Kulaylat Yasser Arafat Ahmed al-Khatib |
Pierre Gemayel Saad Haddad Antoine Barakat | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
LNM: ~1,500 PLO: ~500 Lebanese Arab Army: ~300 | LF: ~1,500 | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
300 dead 500 wounded |
500 dead 750 wounded |