On September 27 1986, a 3,000-man force loyal to Hobeika launched a surprise attack across the Green Line from Muslim West Beirut against East Beirut. The night before a small group of Hobeika's men had taken the LF by surprise at Sodeco and captured the crossing point across the Green Line. Hobeika's men, supported by Syria and their leftist allies, surprised and forced back Geagea's militiamen and managed to get as far as Sassine Square. The LF counter attacked and things started to go badly for Hobeika. At 10:30 am the Lebanese Air Force flew over Achrafieh and the Lebanese Army's Tenth Brigade entered the fray on the side of Geagea's LF.

By noon the invasion of East Beirut was halted and the Syrians urged Hobeika's men to hold out for a few hours to enable a Syrian army battalion to come to their rescue, however a retreat was already underway. Lebanese Army had by then deployed commandos throughout Achrafieh and closed off the escape roots. Less than half of Hobeika's men made it back to West Beirut, the majority were captured.

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