On June 22, 1948, the Altalena Affair took place. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) fired the cargo ship Altalena because it was carrying Irgun fighters and weaponry. The forces and supplies were on their way to contribute to the War of Independence, and their destruction has been a controversial and decisive moment from the very beginning of Israel’s statehood.The Altalena Affair was part of an ongoing conflict between the newly established IDF and the Haganah, the pre-state defense force. The other pre-state military force was the Irgun. Under the leadership of commander Menachem Begin, the Irgun was known for its far more aggressive militaristic strategy.The Irgun members had purchased the ship Altalena abroad, and it was due to arrive in Israel on May 15. It was loaded with fighters, guns, ammunition, and supplies. The Altalena carried supplies that could have enabled the Irgun to challenge the IDF's status as the leading military force. However, its arrival was delayed by several weeks for multiple reasons, including a delay in the shipment of weapons.In June, when the Altalena anchored off the coast near Kfar Vitkin, some passengers disembarked and joined the IDF while the Irgun members began unloading the cargo. Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion ordered Begin to surrender his cargo to the IDF immediately, providing only ten minutes to respond to the ultimatum. Insulted, Begin refused to respond to the ultimatum, and all subsequent attempts at mediation failed.A fight broke out between the IDF and the Irgun forces; Begin boarded the Altalena and directed it to Tel Aviv, where he hoped to speak to Ben-Gurion without an intermediary. As rumors began spreading about the fighting and former Irgun members in the IDF began leaving their posts, the prospect of a civil war became a real threat. On June 22, 1948, IDF warships under the command of Yigal Alon and Yitzhak Rabin approached the Altalena off the coast and opened fire before it could dock in Tel Aviv. The ship’s captain, Monroe Fein, ordered everyone on board to evacuate for fear of the shelling setting off the ammunition. The IDF continued to shoot as men jumped off the Altalena into the water. In total, three IDF soldiers and 16 Irgun fighters were killed.A ceasefire was put into place that same night, and Ben-Gurion ordered the arrest of over 200 Irgun fighters, though most were released in the following weeks.