Arab-Israeli War (1973)

Middle East wars - • Middle East
1973 Arab-Israeli War: Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War was fought from 6 to 25 October 1973 between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria. Much of the fighting took place in the Sinai Peninsula and the Golan Heights-both of which had been occupied by Israel in 1967. Egypt's initial objective in the war was to gain a foothold on the eastern bank of the Suez Canal and subsequently leverage these gains to negotiate the return of the rest of the Israeli-occupied Sinai Peninsula.
The war began on 6 October 1973, when the Arab coalition jointly launched a surprise attack against Israel.
Egyptian forces crossed the Suez Canal and advanced into the Sinai Peninsula. The Syrians launched a coordinated attack in the Golan Heights to coincide with the Egyptian offensive and initially made gains into Israeli-held territory. After three days of heavy fighting, the Sinai Front reached a stalemate, while Israeli forces pushed the Syrians back to the pre-war ceasefire lines.
Israeli forces then launched a counter-offensive into Syria, and within a week, Israeli artillery units were shelling the outskirts of Damascus. Meanwhile, Egyptian forces pushed for two strategic mountain passes deeper within the Sinai Peninsula but were repulsed, and Israeli forces counter-attacked by crossing the Suez Canal into Egypt and advanced towards Suez City. On 22 October, a UN ceasefire failed to stop the fighting.
By 24 October, the Israelis had improved their positions and encircled the Egyptian Third Army and Suez City, and brought them within 100 kilometers of Cairo. This development led to dangerously heightened tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union, and a second ceasefire was imposed cooperatively on 25 October 1973, to officially end the war.
The Yom Kippur War had far-reaching implications; the Arab world had experienced humiliation in the lopsided rout of the Egyptian-Syrian-Jordanian alliance in 1967 but felt psychologically vindicated by early successes in the 1973 conflict. The Israelis recognized that, despite impressive operational and tactical achievements on the battlefield, there was no guarantee that they would always dominate the Arab states militarily. This paved the way for the eventual 1979 Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty, marking the first instance that an Arab country recognized Israel as a legitimate state.
Yom Kippur War - Timeline
1967 - In the Six-Day War, Israel gains control of the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza Strip from Egypt, Golan Heights from Syria, and West Bank from Jordan; Egypt and Syria are determined to win back their lost territories, and launch the “War of Attrition”, which end without success
1970 - Egypt changes course and attempts a diplomatic resolution to the Egypt-Israel conflict - in exchange for Israel withdrawing from the Sinai, Egypt would recognize Israel, but the latter is skeptical; Egypt and Syria then prepare for war
October 6, 1973 - Egypt and Syria initiate war against Israel, with Egyptian forces attacking the Sinai and Syrian forces attacking the Golan Heights
October 10, 1973 - Egyptian forces advance eight kilometers into the Sinai, while the Syrian offensives in the Golan Heights are stopped by Israeli counter-attacks
October 11, 1973 - Israeli forces cross into Syria and advance on Damascus, coming to within 40 kilometers of the Syrian capital
October 14, 1973 - Israeli tanks halt an Egyptian advance in the Gidi and Mitla Passes
October 15, 1973 - Israeli tanks cross the Suez Canal and wreak havoc on Egyptian SAM and artillery batteries
October 18, 1973 - Israeli forces prevail in a fierce two-day armored battle for control of the Suez Canal, which then allow Israeli forces to cross through roller and pontoon bridges into Egypt
October 21, 1973 - The Israeli advance into Ismailia to trap the Egyptian Second Army is stopped by strong Egyptian resistance
October 24, 1973 - The Israeli advance south encircle Suez City, trapping the Egyptian Third Army across the Suez Canal
October 25, 1973 - Through strong American and Soviet pressure, Egypt, Israel, and Syria agree to a UN ceasefire

[@WarsOfThe20thCentury]

Middle East war videos - czcams.com/play/PLUXfpu44ghbAYNhTt8uF44dh9qwRws7kt.html