- Also called the:
- October War, the Ramadan War, the Arab-Israeli war of October 1973, or the Fourth Arab-Israeli War
- Date:
- October 6, 1973 - c. November 1973
- Context:
- Arab-Israeli wars
Yom Kippur War
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What was the Yom Kippur War?
The Yom Kippur War, the fourth Arab-Israeli war, began on October 6, 1973, initiated by Egypt and Syria on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur. The war, which also occurred during the Islamic month of Ramadan, lasted until October 26, 1973. Egypt and Syria attacked Israel simultaneously, with Egyptian forces crossing the Suez Canal and Syrian forces advancing into the Golan Heights. The conflict eventually drew in the United States and the Soviet Union indirectly, supporting their respective allies. Hostilities formally ended with a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Egypt on November 11, 1973, and with Syria on May 31, 1974. This war paved the way for the Camp David Accords and a subsequent peace treaty between Israel and Egypt in 1979.
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When and where did the Yom Kippur War take place?
The Yom Kippur War, also known as the fourth Arab-Israeli war, began on October 6, 1973, initiated by Egypt and Syria on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur. This conflict took place in the Middle East and lasted until October 26, 1973. Hostilities formally concluded with a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Egypt on November 11, 1973, and with Syria on May 31, 1974.
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Which countries were involved in the Yom Kippur War?
The Yom Kippur War, the fourth Arab-Israeli war, was initiated by Egypt and Syria on October 6, 1973, against Israel. The conflict eventually drew in the United States and the Soviet Union as indirect supporters of their respective allies. While Iran's only major allies during the related Iran-Iraq War were Syria and Libya, the Yom Kippur War primarily involved Egypt, Syria, and Israel, with the US and Soviet Union playing significant roles in supporting Israel and the Arab nations, respectively. The war formally ended with a ceasefire between Israel and Egypt on November 11, 1973, and with Syria on May 31, 1974.
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Why is it called the Yom Kippur War?
The Yom Kippur War, the fourth Arab-Israeli war, was initiated by Egypt and Syria on October 6, 1973. This date was significant as it coincided with Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism, known as the Day of Atonement. The war also occurred during Ramadan, a sacred month of fasting in Islam. The conflict lasted until October 26, 1973, and hostilities formally ended with ceasefire agreements between Israel and Egypt, and later with Syria.
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What were the main causes of the Yom Kippur War?
The Yom Kippur War, initiated by Egypt and Syria on October 6, 1973, was driven by a desire to persuade Israel to negotiate on terms more favorable to the Arab nations. This followed the Six-Day War in 1967, during which Israel captured and occupied Arab territories, including the Sinai Peninsula and the Golan Heights. Egypt's President Anwar Sadat sought a peaceful settlement contingent on Israel's return of these territories, as outlined in United Nations Resolution 242, but Israel rejected these terms, leading to the 1973 conflict. The war eventually led to a ceasefire and later a peace treaty between Israel and Egypt.
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What were the outcomes or results of the Yom Kippur War?
The Yom Kippur War, initiated by Egypt and Syria against Israel on October 6, 1973, concluded with a ceasefire on October 26, 1973. Formal ceasefire agreements were signed with Egypt on November 11, 1973, and with Syria on May 31, 1974.
Key outcomes included:
* A significant impact on the eventual peace process between Egypt and Israel, leading to the return of the entire Sinai Peninsula to Egypt in exchange for lasting peace.
* Heavy casualties and substantial military equipment losses for Israel, Egypt, and Syria.
* The Arab oil embargo, imposed by Arab members of OPEC against the United States and other nations supporting Israel, which quadrupled oil prices and led to the first global energy crisis.
* A reassessment of dependence on Middle Eastern oil by the U.S. and European countries, prompting changes in domestic energy policies.
* The adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 338, calling for an end to hostilities and the initiation of negotiations for a lasting peace.5 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Yom Kippur War, fourth of the Arab-Israeli wars, which was initiated by Egypt and Syria on October 6, 1973, on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur. It also occurred during Ramadan, the sacred month of fasting in Islam, and it lasted 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 persuading a chastened—if still undefeated—Israel to negotiate on terms more favourable to the Arab countries.
The Six-Day War (1967), the previous Arab-Israeli war, in which Israel had captured and occupied Arab territories including the Sinai Peninsula and the Golan Heights, was followed by years of sporadic fighting. Anwar Sadat, who became Egypt’s president shortly after the War of Attrition (1969–70) ended, made overtures to reach a peaceful settlement if, in accordance with United Nations Resolution 242, Israel would return the territories it had captured. Israel rejected those terms, and the fighting developed into a full-scale war in 1973.
(Read Britannica’s 1980 interview with Anwar Sadat.)
On the afternoon of October 6 Egypt and Syria attacked Israel simultaneously on two fronts. With the element of surprise to their advantage, Egyptian forces successfully crossed the Suez Canal with greater ease than expected, suffering only a fraction of the anticipated casualties, while 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 assaults, so unlike the situation in 1967, rapidly began to exhaust Israel’s reserve stocks of munitions. 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 United States 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.
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. 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, prompting the UN to reiterate the call for a cease-fire with Resolutions 339 and 340. With international pressure mounting, the war finally ceased on October 26. Israel signed a formal cease-fire agreement with Egypt on November 11 and with Syria on May 31, 1974.
The war did not immediately alter the dynamics of the Arab-Israeli conflict, but it did have a significant impact on the trajectory of an eventual peace process between Egypt and Israel, which culminated in the return of the entire Sinai Peninsula to Egypt in exchange for lasting peace. The war proved costly for Israel, Egypt, and Syria, having caused significant casualties and having disabled or destroyed large quantities of military equipment. Furthermore, although Israel had staved off any advance by Egypt to recapture the Sinai Peninsula during the war, it never restored its seemingly impenetrable fortifications along the Suez Canal that Egypt had destroyed on October 6. The results of the conflict thus required the two countries to coordinate arrangements for disengagement in the short term and made more immediate the need for a negotiated permanent settlement to their ongoing disputes.
In an effort to maintain the cease-fire between Israel and Egypt, a disengagement agreement signed on January 18, 1974, provided for Israel to withdraw its forces into the Sinai west of the Mitla and Gidi passes and for Egypt to reduce the size of its forces on the east bank of the canal. A United Nations (UN) peacekeeping force established a buffer zone between the two armies. The Israel-Egypt agreement was supplemented by another, signed on September 4, 1975, that included an additional withdrawal of forces and the expansion of the UN buffer zone. On March 26, 1979, Israel and Egypt made history by signing a permanent peace agreement that led to Israel’s full withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula and to the normalization of ties between the two countries.
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