---
category: Major Conflict
end: 1973-10-25
location:
- Sinai Peninsula
- Golan Heights
start: 1973-10-06
summary: 1973 Arab-Israeli War that began with coordinated Egyptian and Syrian attacks,
  leading to a nuclear alert and reshaping regional power dynamics.
tags:
- Event
- Conflict
- Middle East
---

The Yom Kippur War, also known as the 1973 Arab–Israeli War, began on Saturday, October 6, 1973, when [Egypt](/places/egypt/) attacked across the [Sinai](/places/sinai/) and [Syria](/places/syria/) invaded the Golan Heights. The initial days of the war were a stunning rout for [Israel](/places/israel/), with significant losses in tanks and aircraft. Egyptian forces breached the Bar-Lev defense line in the [Sinai](/places/sinai/), and Syrian forces advanced to the edge of Galilee.[^1]

In response to the desperate situation, [Israel](/places/israel/) called its first nuclear alert and began arming its nuclear arsenal. This alert was used to pressure [Washington, D.C.](/places/washington-dc/) into a major policy change, specifically demanding an emergency airlift of replacement arms and ammunition. The Israeli leadership, including [Golda Meir](/people/golda-meir/) and [Moshe Dayan](/people/moshe-dayan/), resolved to implement three critical decisions: rally collapsing forces for a counterattack, arm and target its nuclear arsenal for the [Samson Option](/concepts/samson-option/) in case of total collapse, and inform [Washington, D.C.](/places/washington-dc/) of its nuclear action to demand resupply.[^1]

The initial target list for the nuclear weapons included Egyptian and Syrian military headquarters near [Cairo](/places/cairo/) and Damascus. While no weapons were targeted on the [Soviet Union](/places/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](/places/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]

[^1]: Hersh, Seymour M. *The Samson Option: Israel's Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy*. Random House, 1991. Chapter 17.