In the early morning hours of June 5, 1967, Israel declared war on its Arab neighbor, Syria. The six-day war was a swift and decisive victory for Israel, which regained control of the Golan Heights and the Sinai Peninsula, among other territories.

The war began with a surprise attack by Israel against Egypt, which was then under the control of president Gamal Abdel Nasser. Within hours, Israeli troops had captured the Sinai Peninsula and the Golan Heights. Syria and Jordan joined Egypt in the war against Israel, and Israeli forces soon found themselves facing overwhelming numbers and armor in the battlefield.