THE YOM KIPPUR WAR 1973
The ceasefire after the six day war of 1967 was followed by six years of tension in the Middle East between Arabs and Israelis, as both sides resorted to terrorism and counter terrorism operations.
By 1973, President Sadat of Egypt with Soviet aid had greatly enhanced the military capabilities of his armed forces and then began planning with Syrian leader Hafez Assad to reclaim there pre war frontiers by military force.
Months before the planned attack, a coalition of Arab nations which included Iraq, Jordan, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco with financing from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait secretly aided the endeavor to defeat Israel by sending troops, planes, tanks and artillery.
In northern Israel Syrian armored divisions breached the border defenses and advanced twenty five miles into the Golan Heights reaching the Jordan River. By nightfall of the 7th both Israeli fronts had been shattered with her forces in full retreat.
EGYPTIANS CROSS THE SUEZ
However in an incredible display of organization and logistics,Israel had mobilized her entire citizen army and launched a stunning counter attack on October 10th with the Israeli air force decimating the Syrian armored divisions in the north while Israeli tanks halted the Egyptian advance in the Sinai.
The morning of the 11th revealed the Syrian army within the Golan Heights was in full retreat and the next day Israeli forces advanced twenty miles into Syria itself and began shelling the outskirts of the Syrian capital of Damascus.
With the Syrian position deteriorating, the Egyptians launched a renewed attack to capture the strategic Giddi and Mitla Passes and take pressure of there ally, but the assault was routed in the subsequent battle by Israeli aircraft and armor.
ISREALI CENTURION
This victory now encouraged the Israeli high command to launch a decisive counter blow. The aim of which was to cross the Suez Canal in the area of the Great Bitter Lake and thereby transform the military situation.
At dawn on October 15th the offensive began. Within a few hours a bridgehead was established across the canal and with no Egyptian reserves to stem the attack, Israeli forces rampaged deep behind enemy lines.
General Sharon, having identified the weak point between the Egyptian 2nd and 3rd armies left a holding force in the north and swung the bulk of his forces south trapping the Egyptian 3rd on the opposite bank of the Suez.
TRAPPED THIRD ARMY
Sadat now realized Egypt was facing total defeat and requested the Soviets broker an end to hostilities. With the United States in agreement the United Nations Security Council arranged a cease fire effective October 24th.
The twenty day conflict had cost the Israeli's 3,000 men dead, 7,000 wounded and 300 captured along with 100 combat aircraft, 900 tanks and 500 armored fighting vehicles.
Egyptian casualties were 5,000 dead, 11,000 wounded and 8,000 captured with 300 combat aircraft, 1,000 tanks and 600 armored fighting vehicles.
Syrian losses amounted to 7,000 dead,15,000 wounded and 7,000 captured.100 combat aircraft,1,300 tanks and 900 armored fighting vehicles.
DESTROYED EGYPTIAN TANKS
Although Egypt had again suffered military defeat at the hands of its Jewish neighbour, the initial Egyptian successes greatly enhanced Sadat’s prestige in the Middle East and gave him an opportunity to seek peace with honor.
For Syria, the Yom Kippur War was a disaster. The unexpected Egyptian - Israeli cease fire left Syria to fight on alone which lead to complete military defeat and the loss of even more territory in the Golan Heights.
In 1979 Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin signed the first peace agreement between Israel and one of its Arab neighbors. In 1982, Israel fulfilled the peace treaty by returning the last segment of the Sinai Peninsula back to Egypt.
BEGIN - SADAT
YOM KIPPUR WAR
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