As night fell, the sound of distant gunfire and explosions continued to echo across the desert.
The British and French assault was relentless, but the Egyptians, despite their losses, were determined to resist.
At Ismailia, the Indian troops waited in silence.
They knew their orders, but they also knew that war had a way of ignoring boundaries.
----
Near midnight, the first paratroopers began descending over Port Said.
The skies filled with the white canopies of British and French troops, their landing coordinated with precision.
On the ground, Egyptian defenders opened fire, their anti-aircraft guns lighting up the darkness.
The paratroopers, trained for such conditions, adjusted their descent, landing amid the chaos.
"Move, move!" shouted a British officer as his men hit the ground and immediately began advancing toward their objectives.