Six-Day War

Setting the scene

By 1967, tensions were high between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Egypt's President Nasser, seeking to lead the Arab world, had blockaded the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping on May 22, 1967—an act of war under international law. He expelled UN peacekeepers from Sinai and massed 100,000 troops there. Syria and Jordan mobilized. Arab leaders called for Israel's destruction, with Nasser declaring on May 27, 'Our basic objective will be the destruction of Israel.' Israel, surrounded and outnumbered, faced an existential threat. The United States and Soviet Union backed opposite sides.

What happened

On June 5, 1967, at 7:45 a.m., Israel launched Operation Focus, a preemptive strike. In three hours, the Israeli Air Force destroyed 338 Egyptian planes on the ground, achieving air superiority. Israeli ground forces then attacked, capturing the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza from Egypt, the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan, and the Golan Heights from Syria. The war lasted six days—by June 10, Israel had tripled its territory and defeated three Arab armies. Israel lost 776 soldiers; Arab losses were approximately 18,000 dead.

Why it still matters

The Six-Day War transformed the Middle East. Israel occupied territories with 1 million Palestinians, beginning an occupation that continues today. The war created the framework for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict—Israel's control of the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem. It also led to UN Security Council Resolution 242, calling for 'land for peace.' The war humiliated Arab regimes, fueling Islamist movements, and demonstrated Israel's military superiority. It also began the settlement movement, as Israelis built communities in occupied territories. The war's territorial changes remain central to Middle East peace efforts, with the status of Jerusalem and the West Bank still unresolved.

Background

Its outcomes still influence regional geopolitics.