The Siege of Gubla occurred in 1201 BC when the Syrian general Elhu conquered the city of Gubla (Byblos) for his master, Irsu.
By late 1202 BC, the Syrian warlord Irsu's Canaanite empire had expanded out of eastern Syria and engulfed most of present-day Syria, Jordan, and the West Bank, enabling the fearsome warrior to set his sights on seizing coastal Canaan and completing his control over the region. He declared war on King Abdosir of Byblos before sending his general Elhu to invade Byblos. Elhu crushed King Abdosir's small army in a valley of the Mount Lebanon range before moving on Gubla (Byblos) itself.
The new Byblian king Himilco of Byblos decided to lead his 1,618-strong army and Gubla garrison in a sortie against the 1,534-strong Syrian invaders. In a battle fought along the banks of the Abraham River, Elhu deployed his Syrians with their backs to the river, hoping to secure their flanks. The Byblians attacked the left flank of his army, splashing and slaughtering in the waters of the Abraham as the center of both armies clashed. The Syrian right broke through and engaged in a massive sweep, rolling up the Byblian army and inflicting heavy losses. The Byblian army quickly collapsed as it became enveloped, resulting in over 1,000 deaths. Elhu followed up this victory by attacking Melqartpilles' remaining 490 troops in Gubla, taking the city with 507 losses and replenishing his forces in the newly-conquered mercantile hub.
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