The Yom Kippur War, also known as the 1973 Arab–Israeli War, began on Saturday, October 6, 1973, when [[Egypt]] attacked across the [[Sinai]] and [[Syria]] invaded the [[Golan Heights]]. The initial days of the war were a stunning rout for [[Israel]], with significant losses in tanks and aircraft. Egyptian forces breached the Bar-Lev defense line in the [[Sinai]], and Syrian forces advanced to the edge of [[Galilee]].[^1] In response to the desperate situation, [[Israel]] called its first nuclear alert and began arming its nuclear arsenal. This alert was used to pressure [[Washington D.C.]] into a major policy change, specifically demanding an emergency airlift of replacement arms and ammunition. The Israeli leadership, including [[Golda Meir]] and [[Moshe Dayan]], resolved to implement three critical decisions: rally collapsing forces for a counterattack, arm and target its nuclear arsenal for the [[Samson Option]] in case of total collapse, and inform [[Washington D.C.]] of its nuclear action to demand resupply.[^1] The initial target list for the nuclear weapons included Egyptian and Syrian military headquarters near [[Cairo]] and [[Damascus]]. While no weapons were targeted on the [[Soviet Union]], it was understood that the Soviets would quickly learn of the nuclear arming. The arming of nuclear weapons also served the purpose of forcing the [[United States]] to begin a massive resupply of the Israeli military, as the Israeli cabinet was enraged by what they perceived as an American strategy of delaying resupply to facilitate land-for-peace bargaining.[^1] ### Footnotes [^1]: Hersh, Seymour M. *The Samson Option: Israel's Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy*. Random House, 1991. Chapter 17.