History
The Yom Kippur War of 1973 Explained
An overview of the 1973 Yom Kippur War, a surprise attack on Israel by Egypt and Syria that reshaped Middle Eastern politics and the global economy.
What is it?
The Yom Kippur War, also known as the October War or Ramadan War, was a major armed conflict fought from October 6 to 25, 1973. A coalition of Arab states, led by Egypt and Syria, launched a coordinated surprise attack against Israel on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism. The attack also coincided with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Egyptian forces crossed the Suez Canal into the Israeli-occupied Sinai Peninsula, while Syrian forces advanced into the Golan Heights, which Israel had also captured during the 1967 Six-Day War.
Why is it trending?
This war remains a pivotal event in modern history due to its far-reaching consequences. The initial success of the surprise attack challenged the perception of Israeli military invincibility that had existed since the 1967 war. The conflict also represented a significant Cold War flashpoint, as the United States provided massive military aid to Israel, while the Soviet Union resupplied the Arab coalition, leading to heightened superpower tensions. The war's strategies and intelligence failures are still extensively studied in military and academic circles today.
How does it affect people?
The war had a profound and lasting impact. It inflicted heavy casualties on all sides, with thousands of soldiers killed. Globally, it triggered the 1973 oil crisis when Arab oil-producing nations imposed an embargo on countries that supported Israel, causing a sharp rise in oil prices and economic recession in the West. While a military victory for Israel, the conflict was a political and psychological shock that ultimately altered diplomatic realities. It paved the way for negotiations, leading to the landmark Camp David Accords in 1978 and the subsequent Egypt–Israel peace treaty in 1979, the first between Israel and an Arab nation.