War of Attrition

Israeli Soldiers Along the Suez Canal

During a three-year period, Israel and Egypt fought a "War of Attrition" along the Suez Canal. In the course of the war over 500 Israelis were killed.

On October 21, 1967, the Israeli destroyer "Eilat" was struck and destroyed by an Egyptian surface-to-surface missile, resulting in the deaths of forty-seven Israeli sailors. In retaliation, Israel bombarded Egyptian refineries along the Suez Canal. This event marked the beginning of the "War of Attrition," which lasted until August 1970.

The war was marked by escalating artillery duels, aerial attacks, and commando raids. As the conflict escalated, the Soviets became more involved, supplying the Egyptians with arms, advanced ground-to-air missiles, and military advisors. During the war, Israel executed several deep penetration raids into Egypt. Notably, the raid on Green Island stands out, where Israeli commandos captured the latest Soviet radar system.

Throughout the war, Israel constructed a network of trenches and bunkers near the Suez Canal to protect its soldiers. This defensive structure was dubbed the Bar Lev Line.

The conflict resulted in the deaths of over 500 Israelis. The war only reached its conclusion after a direct confrontation between Israeli and Soviet forces, during which Israel downed six Soviet aircraft. The terms of the ensuing ceasefire stipulated that Egypt was not to establish new Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) sites near the canal. However, within weeks of the ceasefire, Egypt violated this agreement.