688 Chapter 5
MID#1046
Dispute Number: 1046
Date(s): October 14, 1971 to October 24, 1973
Participants: 645 Iraq, 651 Egypt, 652 Syria, 663 Jordan, 670 Saudi Arabia/666 Israel
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (Negotiated)
Fatalities: >999 deaths
Narrative: From 1971 until approximate September 1973, there were some small bor-
der conflicts on both the Syrian and Egyptian borders; however, most of the conflict
took place in the Golan Heights on the Syrian border and in the Sinai area of Egypt.
In September 1973, Syria and Egypt, with a coalition of Arab countries that included
Iraq, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, began planning a coordinated surprise attack on Israel.
They decided that Yom Kippur, one of the holiest days on the Jewish calendar, would
be the best day to launch such a war and on October 6, 1973, all sides attacked.
Egypt focused primarily on quickly breaking the Israeli defenses in the Sinai and
holding that territory. In the Golan, where most of the fighting was concentrated due to
its proximity to a majority of the Israeli population, Syria attempted to launch a quick
offensive but was not as successful as the Egyptians. It became quickly apparent that
Israel had the military upper hand as the Israeli Defense Forces took control of the
Golan Heights and then advanced into Egypt, coming within 100 kilometers of Cairo.
At this point, the UN Security Council passed a resolution on October 22 requesting
that all parties cease hostilities, which they agreed to the next day. The official sepa-
ration of forces agreements proposed by Israel was agreed to January 18, 1974, for
Egypt, and May 31, 1974, for Syria.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from October 18, 1971.
MID#353
Dispute Number: 353
Date(s): October 7, 1973 to November 11, 1973
Participants: 2 United States of America, 666 Israel/365 Russia, 651 Egypt, 652 Syria
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (Negotiated)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: Both the United States and the Soviet Union exercised influence over
their respective allies fighting the Yom Kippur War, and tensions flared between the
two superpowers toward the end of the conflict. Israel had inadvertently hit a Soviet
cultural center in Damascus and sunk a Soviet merchant ship near the Syrian coast.
Egypt had also requested active Soviet support during the conflict. These events led
the Soviets to openly threaten Israel. The Soviet ambassador also gave US Secretary
of State Kissinger an urgent note for President Nixon. The letter from Soviet Pre-
mier Breshnev threatened that Russia would act unilaterally if Israel did not respect
a ceasefire—it was a threat to intervene on behalf of Egypt unless Israel halted. The
Soviets placed airborne divisions on alert, and American forces went on alert as well.
Neither side wanted to risk war for Israel or Egypt, and both sides quickly pressured
for peace. The belligerents signed a ceasefire on October 25, 1973, and the United
States canceled its alert on October 31.