The Yom Kippur War, also known as the Ramadan War or the October War, was a conflict fought by the coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria against Israel from October 6 to October 25, 1973. The war's timing was significant as it started on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism, and during Ramadan, the holy month of Islam.
The war was primarily a result of the aftermath of the Six-Day War in 1967, where Israel had captured the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, the Golan Heights from Syria, and the West Bank from Jordan. The failure to regain these territories through diplomacy led Egypt and Syria, with support from other Arab nations, to plan a coordinated surprise attack on Israel.
The Arab forces launched a massive and well-coordinated attack with Egyptian forces crossing the Suez Canal and Syrian forces attacking the Golan Heights. Initially, they achieved significant tactical surprise, leading to early successes:
After the initial shock, Israel mobilized its reserves and counterattacked:
The war saw significant international involvement:
The war ended with a ceasefire on October 25, 1973, with both sides suffering heavy losses:
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