It was a three hour sustained attack.. The Liberty was monitoring communications.
Prior to the actual attack which took place around 2:00 PM, Israel monitored Liberty for hours:
"At approximately 0600 hours (all times local) on the morning of June 8, 1967 an Israeli maritime reconnaissance aircraft observer reported seeing 'a US Navy cargo type ship,' just outside the coverage of the Israeli coastal radar defense net, bearing the hull markings 'GTR-5'.[11]
"This report, made to Israeli naval HQ, was also forwarded immediately to the Israeli navy intelligence directorate.[12]
"Throughout the remainder of the day prior to the attack, Israeli reconnaissance aircraft regularly flew out to USS Liberty's position and orbited the ship before returning to their bases in Israel.
"A total of no fewer than eight (8) such flights were made.[13]
"At approximately 1050 hours, the naval observer from the early morning reconnaissance flight arrived at Israeli air force HQ and sat down with the air-naval liaison officer there.
"The two officers consulted Jane's Fighting Ships and learned that the ship reported earlier in the day was USS Liberty, a United States Navy technical research ship.[14]
My biggest question today is this: on which side of the Atlantic was the scheme hatched?
