On 11 March 1978 Palestine Liberation Organization ( PLO ) operatives , led by Dalal Mugrabi , carried out the Coastal Road massacre within Israel which resulted in the deaths of 37 Israelis , including 13 children . In response , Israeli forces invaded southern Lebanon from which the PLO operated regularly during the 1970s . Starting on the night of March 14 – 15 and culminating a few days later , Israel Defense Forces ( IDF ) troops occupied the entire southern part of the country except for the city of Tyre and its surrounding area . This operation is known in Israel as Operation Litani
Coastal Road massacre
Coastal Road massacre
Blue Line (Lebanon)