what was the course of the egyptian and syrian invasion of israel in 1973

On October 6, 1973, Egyptian and Syrian forces launched a coordinated attack against Israel on Jewish Holy Day of Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), hoping to win back territory lost to Israel during the third Arab-Israeli war, in 1967. The Yom Kippur War continued from October 6 to 25, 1973.

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When did Egypt and Syria attack Israel in 1973?

Nov 04, 1979 · On October 6, 1973, hoping to win back territory lost to Israel during the third Arab-Israeli war, in 1967, Egyptian and Syrian forces launched a …

What can we learn from the 1973 Arab-Israeli War?

Oct 02, 2018 · On October 6, 1973, Egyptian and Syrian forces launched a coordinated attack against Israel on Jewish Holy Day of Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), hoping to win back territory lost to Israel during the third Arab-Israeli war, in 1967. The Yom Kippur War continued from October 6 to 25, 1973.

Why did Egypt and Syria attack Israel on Yom Kippur?

Oct 04, 2017 · Historical Context: Crossing the Suez. On October 6, 1973, Egypt and Syria successfully launched coordinated surprise attacks against Israeli forces in the Sinai Peninsula and Golan Heights, respectively. The attacks were a direct reaction to Israel’s dramatic victory in June 1967, when in six days the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) executed a preemptive military …

How far did Israel advance in the war with Egypt?

Jan 19, 2021 · On October 6, 1973, on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on the Sinai and the Golan Heights. The stunned Israeli defenders held on desperately, even as...

What happened in 1973 between Egypt and Israel?

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Who attacked Israel in 1973?

What was the impact of the 1973 Arab-Israeli war?

Who started the Arab-Israeli war?

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Who won the Six-Day War?

What happened on the 6th of October in Egypt?

When did the Arab-Israeli war start?

Yom Kippur War: October 1973. When the fourth Arab-Israeli war began on October 6 , 1973, many of Israel’s soldiers were away from their posts observing Yom Kippur (or Day of Atonement), and the Arab armies made impressive advances with their up-to-date Soviet weaponry. Iraqi forces soon joined the war, and Syria received support from Jordan.

What happened on Yom Kippur?

On October 6, 1973, hoping to win back territory lost to Israel during the third Arab-Israeli war, in 1967, Egyptian and Syrian forces launched a coordinated attack against Israel on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. Taking the Israeli Defense Forces by surprise, Egyptian troops swept deep into the Sinai Peninsula, while Syria struggled to throw occupying Israeli troops out of the Golan Heights. Israel counterattacked and recaptured the Golan Heights. A cease-fire went into effect on October 25, 1973.

What happened in 1982?

In 1982, Israel fulfilled the 1979 peace treaty by returning the last segment of the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt. For Syria, the Yom Kippur War was a disaster. The unexpected Egyptian-Israeli cease-fire exposed Syria to military defeat, and Israel seized even more territory in the Golan Heights.

What was the result of the Six Day War?

Israel’s stunning victory in the Six-Day War of 1967 left the Jewish nation in control of territory four times its previous size. Egypt lost the 23,500-square-mile Sinai Peninsula and the Gaza Strip, Jordan lost the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and Syria lost the strategic Golan Heights. When Anwar el-Sadat (1918-81) became president of Egypt in 1970, he found himself leader of an economically troubled nation that could ill afford to continue its endless crusade against Israel. He wanted to make peace and thereby achieve stability and recovery of the Sinai, but after Israel’s 1967 victory it was unlikely that Israel’s peace terms would be favorable to Egypt. So Sadat conceived of a daring plan to attack Israel again, which, even if unsuccessful, might convince the Israelis that peace with Egypt was necessary.

When did Sadat expel Soviet advisers from Egypt?

In 1972 , Sadat expelled 20,000 Soviet advisers from Egypt and opened new diplomatic channels with Washington, D.C., which, as Israel’s key ally, would be an essential mediator in any future peace talks. He formed a new alliance with Syria, and a concerted attack on Israel was planned.

Who was the prime minister of Israel during the Yom Kippur War?

In April 1974, the nation’s prime minister, Golda Meir (1898-1978), stepped down.

When was Sadat assassinated?

On October 6, 1981 , Anwar Sadat was assassinated by Muslim extremists in Cairo while viewing a military parade commemorating the anniversary of Egypt’s crossing of the Suez Canal at the start of the Yom Kippur War.

When did Israel attack Egypt?

On June 5, 1967, the Israel Defense Forces initiated Operation Focus, a coordinated aerial attack on Egypt. That morning, some 200 aircraft took off from Israel and swooped west over the Mediterranean before converging on Egypt from the north.

When did the Egyptian war start?

The ground war in Egypt began on June 5. In concert with the air strikes, Israeli tanks and infantry stormed across the border and into the Sinai Peninsula and the Gaza Strip. Egyptian forces put up a spirited resistance, but later fell into disarray after Field Marshal Abdel Hakim Amer ordered a general retreat.

What was the Six Day War?

SOURCES. The Six-Day War was a brief but bloody conflict fought in June 1967 between Israel and the Arab states of Egypt, Syria and Jordan. Following years of diplomatic friction and skirmishes between Israel and its neighbors, Israel Defense Forces launched preemptive air strikes that crippled the air forces of Egypt and its allies.

Which Arab states occupied the West Bank and Gaza Strip?

Led by Egypt and Syria, the Arab states later launched a fourth major conflict with Israel during 1973’s Yom Kippur War. By claiming the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the state of Israel also absorbed over one million Palestinian Arabs.

How many airfields did Israel attack?

After catching the Egyptians by surprise, they assaulted 18 different airfields and eliminated roughly 90 percent of the Egyptian air force as it sat on the ground. Israel then expanded the range of its attack and decimated the air forces of Jordan, Syria and Iraq.

What was the second conflict in the Suez Canal?

A second major conflict known as the Suez Crisis erupted in 1956, when Israel, the United Kingdom and France staged a controversial attack on Egypt in response to Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser’s nationalization of the Suez Canal.

What was the main cause of the Six Day War?

A series of border disputes were the major spark for the Six-Day War. By the mid-1960s, Syrian-backed Palestinian guerillas had begun staging attacks across the Israeli border, provoking reprisal raids from the Israel Defense Forces.

What happened on October 6, 1973?

On October 6, 1973 – Yom Kippur, the Syrians also participated in the coordinated surprise attack against Israel. They made a significant break through to the Golan Heights. Syria struggled to throw occupying Israeli troops out of the Golan Heights. On the Golan Heights alone, 150 Israeli tanks faced 1,400 Syria tanks. Israel counterattacked and recaptured the Golan Heights.

Why was Yom Kippur chosen as the holy day of the Jewish calendar?

On October 6, 1973, Egyptian and Syrian forces launched a coordinated attack against Israel on Jewish Holy Day of Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), hoping to win back territory lost to Israel during the third Arab-Israeli war, in 1967. The Yom Kippur War continued from October 6 to 25, 1973. The date of Yom Kippur was chosen because it is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. This was the Fourth Arab-Israeli War. The combined forces of Egypt and Syria totalled the same number of men as NATO had in Western Europe.

What were the conditions of the 1973 war?

The conditions that shaped the 1973 War were established six years prior. In 1967, Israel launched attacks on Egypt, Jordan and Syria, unleashing the June War, that resulted in the Israeli occupation of what remained of historic Palestine, as well as the Egyptian Sinai desert, and the Golan Heights from Syria.

How long did it take for the Egyptians to defeat the Egyptians?

This initial military success, which came to be known to Egyptians as “the crossing,” served as a sign of victory after 25 years of defeat.

Where did Kissinger go in 1974?

The next day, he left for Tel Aviv. Both sides accepted a disengagement agreement. Meanwhile, the Israelis were still occupying a salient deep inside Syria, not far from the capital Damascus. So, in May 1974, Kissinger set out on his second round of shuttle diplomacy, this time between Damascus and Tel Aviv.

How long has Israel been in the Golan Heights?

Forty-five years since the October war in 1973, Israel still occupies Palestinian territories and Syrian Golan Heights. It has been 45 years since the start of the 1973 War between Israel, Egypt and Syria.

Why did Sadat want a limited war?

Sadat, on the other hand, had sought a limited war to focus the minds of the world’s superpowers, and to jump-start the stalled peace process.

What happened on October 6 1973?

The holiday fell on Saturday, October 6, 1973, and just after 2pm, the Egyptian and Syrian armies, with advanced Soviet weapons, launched a two-front offensive on Israel, from the north and the south. Under “Operation Badr” the Egyptian military forces managed to cross the Suez Canal and capture the Bar Lev Line – a fortified sand wall on ...

Why did the USSR and the Americans begin airlifting arms to their allies?

Both the USSR and the Americans began airlifting arms, including tanks and artillery, to their allies as their stockpiles began to ran out.

When did Egypt and Syria attack Israel?

On October 6, 1973, Egypt and Syria successfully launched coordinated surprise attacks against Israeli forces in the Sinai Peninsula and Golan Heights, respectively. The attacks were a direct reaction to Israel’s dramatic victory in June 1967, when in six days the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) executed a preemptive military campaign ...

Where did the Egyptians establish defensive positions after Israel's attack?

Instead, with the wind at their back and the enemy reeling on two fronts, the Egyptians established defensive positions only ten kilometers east of the canal.

How did Sadat convince his opponents?

In the meantime Sadat needed to convince his opponents that he could be a credible negotiation partner. He did this by aligning operational posture and diplomatic messaging to signal his limited military objectives. After devastating Israel’s armored counterattack, for example, the Egyptians could have made a run at the strategic Mitla and Giddi passes 40-50 kilometers inland. Instead, with the wind at their back and the enemy reeling on two fronts, the Egyptians established defensive positions only ten kilometers east of the canal. Sadat paired this decision with a message to Kissinger that Egypt did “not intend to deepen the engagements or widen the confrontation.” Sadat’s early actions thus had the unusual effect of decreasing pressure on the enemy during the heat of battle.

What did Sadat do in the war?

Sadat concluded that his only option was a limited war that forced his adversaries into a political process. In the event, the successful opening attack earned him the domestic political capital to negotiate with Israel, while it also confronted Israel and the United States with the dangers of ignoring Egyptian interests. On the war’s first day National Security Advisor and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger told the White House chief of staff, “There is no longer an excuse for a delay. After we get the fighting stopped we should use this as a vehicle to get the diplomacy started.”

What did Henry Kissinger say about the war?

On the war’s first day National Security Advisor and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger told the White House chief of staff, “ There is no longer an excuse for a delay. After we get the fighting stopped we should use this as a vehicle to get the diplomacy started.”.

Why did Henry Kissinger manage hostilities?

The wise statesman knows never to let a crisis go to waste, and so in this case did Henry Kissinger expertly manage hostilities in order to preserve the opportunity for postwar diplomacy.

What year was the Yom Kippur War?

David Wallsh | 10.04.17. This week marks the forty-fourth anniversary of the beginning of the 1973 Arab-Israeli War. Known as the Yom Kippur War in Israel and the Ramadan or October War in Egypt and Syria, the dramatic events of October 1973 profoundly altered the course of Middle East politics, eventually leading to the 1979 Egyptian-Israeli peace ...

What was the flashpoint of the Syrian Civil War?

In fact, the flashpoint was Syria. And as tensions rise today between America and Russia over the Syrian Civil War, and U.S. and Russian troops and aircraft operate in uncomfortable proximity in support of rival factions in the conflict, it is worth remembering what happened forty-five years ago.

What happened on October 6, 1973?

On October 6, 1973, on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on the Sinai and the Golan Heights. The stunned Israeli defenders held on desperately, even as their leaders and senior commanders feared this might be the end for their nation.

How many ships did Moscow have in the Mediterranean?

A crisis atmosphere gripped the White House as reports arrived that that Soviet airborne divisions and amphibious troops had been placed on alert, while Moscow nearly doubled its Mediterranean fleet to a hundred ships.

Who sent the message to Nixon?

With attempts at working out a ceasefire failing, and with their Arab clients facing military defeat, Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev sent a message to Richard Nixon's White House: "I will say it straight that if you find it impossible to act jointly with us in this matter, we should be faced with the necessity urgently to consider taking appropriate steps unilaterally."

Where was the catalyst for Armageddon?

This time the catalyst of potential Armageddon wasn't the Caribbean, but the Middle East.

What was Egypt's initial objective in the 1967 war?

Egypt's initial war objective was to use its military to seize a limited amount of Israeli-occupied Sinai on the east bank of the Suez Canal. This would provoke a crisis which would allow it to bring American and Soviet pressure to bear on Israel to negotiate the return of the rest of Sinai, and possibly other occupied territories, from a position of relative strength. Egyptian President Anwar Sadat's publicly stated position was "to recover all Arab territory occupied by Israel following the 1967 war and to achieve a just, peaceful solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict". Similarly, Syria intended to seize back some or all of the Golan and to then negotiate its retention via great power pressure. Both Egypt and Syria expected that the use of the "oil weapon" would assist them in post-conflict negotiations, once their attacks had generated a reason for its use.

What was the name of the war between Israel and Egypt?

Yom Kippur War. The Yom Kippur War, also known as the Ramadan War, the October War, the 1973 Arab–Israeli War or the Fourth Arab–Israeli War, was an armed conflict fought from 6 to 25 October 1973 between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria. The majority of the fighting between the two sides took place in ...

Why did Sadat enter the war?

Sadat, who had entered the war in order to recover the Sinai from Israel, grew frustrated at the slow pace of the peace process. In a 1977 interview with CBS News anchorman Walter Cronkite, Sadat admitted under pointed questioning that he was open to a more constructive dialog for peace, including a state visit.

What were the targets of the Egyptian missiles?

On the first day of the war, Egyptian missile boats bombarded the Sinai Mediterranean coast, targeting Rumana and Ras Beyron, Ras Masala and Ras Sudar on the Gulf of Suez and Sharm el-Sheikh. Egyptian naval frogmen also raided the oil installations at Bala'eem, disabling the massive driller.

How many Soviets were in Syria during the war?

On the Golan front, Syrian forces received direct support from Soviet technicians and military personnel. At the start of the war, there were an estimated 2,000 Soviet personnel in Syria, of whom 1,000 were serving in Syrian air defense units. Soviet technicians repaired damaged tanks, SAMs and radar equipment, assembled fighter jets that arrived via the sealift, and drove tanks supplied by the sealift from ports to Damascus. On both the Golan and Sinai fronts, Soviet military personnel retrieved abandoned Israeli military equipment for shipment to Moscow. Soviet advisors were reportedly present in Syrian command posts "at every echelon, from battalion up, including supreme headquarters". Some Soviet military personnel went into battle with the Syrians, and it was estimated that 20 were killed in action and more were wounded. In July 1974, Israeli Defense Minister Shimon Peres informed the Knesset that high-ranking Soviet officers had been killed on the Syrian front during the war. There were strong rumors that a handful were taken prisoner, but this was denied. However, it was noted that certain Soviet Jews were allowed to emigrate just after the war, leading to suspicions of a covert exchange. The Observer wrote that seven Soviets in uniform were taken prisoner after surrendering when the Israelis overran their bunker. The Israelis reportedly took the prisoners to Ramat David Airbase for interrogation, and treated the incident with great secrecy.

How many Israeli prisoners were killed in the Syrian war?

Advancing Israeli forces, re-capturing land taken by the Syrians early in the war, came across the bodies of 28 Israeli soldiers who had been blindfolded with their hands bound and summarily executed. In a December 1973 address to the National Assembly, Syrian Defense Minister Mustafa Tlass stated that he had awarded one soldier the Medal of the Republic for killing 28 Israeli prisoners with an axe, decapitating three of them and eating the flesh of one of his victims. The Syrians employed brutal interrogation techniques utilizing electric shocks to the genitals. A number of Israeli soldiers taken prisoner on Mount Hermon were executed. Near the village of Hushniye, the Syrians captured 11 administrative personnel from the Golan Heights Force, all of whom were later found dead, blindfolded, and with their hands tied behind their backs. Within Hushniye, seven Israeli prisoners were found dead, and another three were executed at Tel Zohar. Syrian prisoners who fell into Israeli captivity confirmed that their comrades killed IDF prisoners. A soldier from the Moroccan contingent fighting with Syrian forces was found to be carrying a sack filled with the body parts of Israeli soldiers which he intended to take home as souvenirs. The bodies of Israeli prisoners who were killed were stripped of their uniforms and found clad only in their underpants, and Syrian soldiers removed their dog tags to make identification of the bodies more difficult.

What war was the Yom Kippur War?

Nickel Grass. The Yom Kippur War, also known as the Ramadan War, the October War, the 1973 Arab–Israeli War or the Fourth Arab–Israeli War, was an armed conflict fought from 6 to 25 October 1973 between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria. The majority of the fighting between the two sides took place in ...

What happened to Israel in 1948?

In 1948, five of Israel's neighbors attacked the day after the nation was created. They failed in their goal to stop the fledgling nation from being established, but Egypt did manage to take possession of a strip of land called Gaza, and Jordan occupied the West Bank of the Jordan River. Then, in 1967, Egypt, Jordan, and Syria tried to destroy Israel for good. But within six days, Israel had defeated them all, won back the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and also won control of the entire Sinai Peninsula and the Golan Heights.

Where did Israel set up eavesdropping stations?

Instead of waiting for the next round of fighting to begin, Israel set up electronic eavesdropping stations in Gaza, the West Bank, and Golan Heights and was also monitoring its Arab neighbors from the air. In mid-1973, Israeli intelligence picked up pretty clear information about Egyptian and Syrian preparations for another war. Troops, weapons, Soviet SAMs, and anti-tank missiles deployed near the Golan Heights and the Suez Canal. But they had done that before and always stood down.

How did the Israelis defeat the Egyptians?

The Egyptians, however, attempted a significant attack on October 14 , which was defeated by the IDF. Israel then turned to the offensive after a difficult battle at the Chinese Farm. Ariel Sharon led the first Israeli forces across the Canal They soon surrounded the third Egyptian army. As the immensity of the Israeli threat became clear, an immediate cease-fire was called for. After a brief confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union, a fire went into effect on October 22. The cost of the war to Israel was severe; over 2,000 Israelis were killed and 10,000 wounded.

How many Israelis died in the Yom Kippur war?

On Yom Kippur 1973, Israel was surprised by a coordinated Syrian and Egyptian attack. Over 2,000 Israelis were killed and 10,000 wounded. Yet Israel rallied and the war ended with Israel at Kilometer 101 on the road to Cairo.

Arab-Israeli Conflict

Origins of The Six-Day War

Mideast Tensions Escalate

Six-Day War Erupts

Israel Celebrates Victory

• The last phase of the fighting took place along Israel’s northeastern border with Syria. On June 9, following an intense aerial bombardment, Israeli tanks and infantry advanced on a heavily fortified region of Syria called the Golan Heights. They successfully captured the Golan the next day. On June 10, 1967, a United Nations-brokered ceasefire too...

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Legacy of The Six-Day War

Sources

Why Did The Three Countries Go to War?

How Did The War Unfold?

• To catch Israel off guard, the Egyptians and Syrians decided to launch an attack on the Yom Kippur religious holiday, the only day in the year in which there are no radio or television broadcasts, shops close and transportation shuts down as part of religious observations. The holiday fell on Saturday, October 6, 1973, and just after 2pm, the Egypt...

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Diplomatic Track

Aftermath of The War