PLO cross-border raids against Israel grew during the late 1970s . One of the most severe — known as the Coastal Road massacre — occurred on 11 March 1978 . A force of nearly a dozen Fatah fighters landed their boats near a major coastal road connecting the city of Haifa with Tel Aviv-Yafo . There they hijacked a bus and sprayed gunfire inside and at passing vehicles , killing thirty-seven civilians . In response , the IDF launched Operation Litani three days later , with the goal of taking control of Southern Lebanon up to the Litani River . The IDF achieved this goal , and Arafat withdrew PLO forces north into Beirut
Coastal Road massacre
Coastal Road massacre
Yasser Arafat