The Lavon Affair, also known as Operation Susannah, was a covert operation conducted by Israeli military intelligence in the early 1950s. The operation involved a series of bombings targeting several Egyptian, British, and American-owned civilian facilities in Egypt.

The motive behind the operation was to destabilize relations between Egypt and Western powers, particularly the United Kingdom, in order to convince the British to maintain their military presence in the Suez Canal Zone. The Israeli government believed that such a presence would be favorable to Israeli interests.

Israeli intelligence recruited Egyptian Jews, who were then trained to carry out the bombings. However, one of the operatives was arrested in Egypt before he could complete his assignment, leading to the discovery of the plot. The subsequent investigation led to the apprehension of the other operatives and their Israeli handlers.

The Lavon Affair had significant ramifications on both domestic and international fronts. In Egypt, the incident was used by President Gamal Abdel Nasser to crackdown on opposition groups and to intensify his campaign against the Jewish community in the country. In Israel, it caused a major political crisis and led to the resignation of Defense Minister Pinhas Lavon, after whom the affair was named.

The Lavon Affair also strained relations between Israel and the United Kingdom and the United States. The British and American governments were angered by the Israeli government's involvement in covert operations against their interests and criticized Israel for violating international norms.

The Lavon Affair remains a controversial episode in Israeli history, with ongoing debates about the extent of government knowledge and involvement. It has also served as a cautionary tale about the consequences of resorting to clandestine operations in pursuit of national interests.