Israel declared independence on May 14, 1948 and on May, 15, 1948, Britain gave up her mandate and the British Army departed from Palestine. The Arabs immediately launched an air attack on Tel Aviv, which the Israelis resisted. This action was followed by the invasion of the former Palestinian mandate by Arab armies from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Egypt. Saudi Arabia sent a formation that fought under the Egyptian command on May 15, 1948.
