The Six-Day War: Israel's Swift Victory

Egypt, under the leadership of President Gamal Abdel Nasser, emerged as a central figure in Arab nationalism and anti-Israel sentiment. Nasser’s calls for Arab unity and the destruction of Israel were backed by increasing military cooperation with other Arab states and by Soviet support, as part of the broader Cold War dynamic. The Soviet Union, keen on expanding its influence in the Middle East, supplied arms and military training to Egypt and Syria, while the United States became a key supporter of Israel. The region thus became another theater for the Cold War rivalry between the superpowers, further escalating tensions.

The demilitarized zones between Israel and Syria, particularly along the Golan Heights, were frequently the scene of armed skirmishes and artillery exchanges. Syria also supported Palestinian guerrilla attacks into Israeli territory, further stoking unrest. Meanwhile, in the south, Egypt's actions in the Sinai Peninsula, including the remilitarization of the area and the expulsion of the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) in May 1967, signaled a major escalation. The final provocation came with Egypt’s closure of the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping—an act Israel considered a casus belli, or justification for war.