Following a series of raids by Fatah fighters against Israeli targets near the West Bank border, Israeli military forces responded with an operation targeting the village of As-Samu. This incident occurred against a backdrop of increasing violence between Israeli forces and Palestinian insurgent groups, which saw a rise in activities aimed at challenging Israeli control in the region. The raid on As-Samu involved infantry and armored units that moved into the village, ostensibly to remove the threat posed by Fatah militants. The operation resulted in multiple casualties among both militants and civilians, coupled with extensive damage to property and infrastructure.

This military action was marked by its significance as part of the wider Arab-Israeli conflict, emphasizing the ongoing cycle of violence and retaliation that characterized the region during the 1960s. The attack on As-Samu not only highlighted the confrontations between the Israeli military and guerrilla fighters but also underscored the complex dynamics of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Following the incident, the tension between Israel and its Arab neighbors continued to escalate, leading to further military engagements in the years that followed.

The international community closely monitored these events, with repercussions that echoed throughout subsequent decades. The actions taken by Israel were part of a strategy to preemptively counter what they perceived as imminent threats from militant groups, thus entrenching the cycle of violence that would shape the landscape of Israel and Palestinian relations for years to come. Operations like the one in As-Samu were pivotal in transforming public perceptions and political stances within the region, as they impacted both Palestinian nationalism and Israeli security policies.