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Attack by Egypt and Syria on Israel
On the afternoon of October 6, Israel was attacked simultaneously on two fronts by Egypt and Syria. With the element of surprise, Egyptian forces successfully crossed the Suez Canal with greater ease than expected, suffering only a fraction of the anticipated casualties;Syrian forces were able to launch their offensive against Israeli positions and break through to the Golan Heights. The intensity of the Egyptian and Syrian assault rapidly began to exhaust Israel’s reserve stocks of munitions. -
Asking for U.S. Aid
Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir turned to the United States for aid, while the Israeli general staff hastily improvised a battle strategy. The reluctance of the US to help Israel changed rapidly when the Soviet Union commenced its own resupply effort to Egypt and Syria. U.S. Pres. Richard Nixon countered by establishing an emergency supply line to Israel, even though the Arab countries imposed a costly oil embargo and various U.S. allies refused to facilitate the arms shipments. -
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SUMMARY
The war was initiated by Egypt and Syria on October 6, 1973, on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur and during Ramadan, the month of fasting in Islam, and it continued until October 26, 1973. The war, which eventually drew both the United States and the Soviet Union into indirect confrontation in defense of their respective allies, was launched with the diplomatic aim of convincing a chastenedif still undefeated—Israel to negotiate on terms more favourable to the Arab countries. -
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CONCLUSION
With significant casualties and large quantities of military equipment disabled or destroyed, the war proved costly for Israel, Egypt, and Syria. Nevertheless, although Egypt did not win the war in any military sense, its initial successes in October 1973 enabled President Anwar el-Sādāt to pronounce the war an Egyptian victory and to seek an honourable peace. -
Israeli Forces Strengthen
With reinforcements on the way, the Israel Defense Forces rapidly turned the tide. Israel succeeded in disabling portions of the Egyptian air defenses, which allowed Israeli forces commanded by Gen. Ariel Sharon to cross the Suez Canal and surround the Egyptian Third Army. On the Golan front, Israeli troops, at heavy cost, repulsed the Syrians and advanced to the edge of the Golan plateau on the road to Damascus. -
UN Resolution 338
On October 22 the United Nations Security Council adopted resolution 338, which called for an immediate end to the fighting; despite this, however, hostilities continued for several days thereafter and finally ceased on October 26. -
Israel - Egypt Agreement
Israel and Egypt signed a cease-fire agreement in November and peace agreements on January 18, 1974. The accords provided for Israeli withdrawal into the Sinai west of the Mitla and Gidi passes, while Egypt was to reduce the size of its forces on the east bank of the canal. -
Israel-Syria Ceasefire Agreement
On May 31, 1974, Israel and Syria signed a cease-fire agreement that also covered separation of their forces by a UN buffer zone and exchange of prisoners of war. -
Oil Embargo Lifted
The Arab States lifted the oil embargo (ban) upon the United States. -
Israel-Egypt: another agreement signed
A United Nations (UN) peacekeeping force established a buffer zone between the two armies. This agreement was supplemented by another, signed on September 4, 1975.