Kibbutz Yechiam, located in solitude- east of Nahariya, had been under Arab siege during the first part of The War of Independence and Hagana's convoys were attacked approaching it. The most difficult attack was in Mach 27th 1948. Out of 89 people in the convoy 47 perished in battle, among them the battalion commander, Ben Ami Pechter.
Only on May 21st did the Carmeli brigade take control of the road to the kibbutz, in Ben Ami operation.