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The Six-Day War, a pivotal event in the Middle East, began on June 5, 1967, when Israel launched a preemptive strike against Egypt. Tensions had been escalating for months, with Egypt blockading the Straits of Tiran, expelling UN peacekeepers from the Sinai Peninsula, and amassing troops along Israel’s border. Israel, feeling threatened, decided to act.
In a lightning-fast operation, Israeli air forces struck Egyptian airfields, decimating Egypt’s air power within hours. Simultaneously, Israel targeted Jordanian and Syrian forces. The Israeli military achieved remarkable success, neutralizing the air forces of Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, and swiftly gaining control over the Sinai Peninsula, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights.
The capture of Jerusalem’s Old City was especially significant for Israel, as it allowed them to reunify the city under Israeli control for the first time since 1948. The war fundamentally altered the political landscape of the Middle East, leading to significant territorial changes and setting the stage for future conflicts and peace negotiations.