Fifth: the four stages of the October 1973 operations

• Operations began at 2 p.m. on 6 October 1973 (10 Ramadan 1393 AH) at the same hour on both the Egyptian and Syrian fronts, in four main stages.

Stage 1 — achieving the armed forces' basic mission

• 1. The comprehensive air strike: at 2 o'clock Egyptian aircraft crossed the Canal eastward to hit targets deep in Sinai — the enemy's command centre, airfields and air bases, anti-aircraft missile sites, long-range artillery, administrative areas and Fort Budapest, one of the Bar Lev forts east of Port Said. The strike, led by the Air Force commander, destroyed the enemy's main command centre and paralysed his capabilities.
• 2. The artillery preparation: at 2:05 one of the largest artillery preparations in history began along the whole front line, inflicting maximum damage on Israeli targets, forcing the enemy into shelters and thus facilitating the crossing and the siege of the Bar Lev forts.
• 3. Assaulting the Suez Canal:
  • tank-hunting groups crossed first in rubber boats to destroy enemy tanks and stop them intervening;
  • the first waves crossed in wooden and rubber boats, with light anti-tank weapons and shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles, carrying rope ladders to climb the sand rampart;
  • the leading troops raised the Egyptian flag on the eastern bank, announcing the battle for the liberation of Sinai, with the soldiers crying Allahu Akbar;
  • engineer units opened 60 gaps in the sand rampart using pumps that drew water from the Canal to wash the sand away;
  • bridge units assembled the bridges, and tanks, tracked vehicles and heavy equipment poured across to the eastern bank;
  • when the enemy recovered and his aircraft appeared, the air defence faced them and Israeli aircraft fell one after another through 6 and 7 October; by the evening of 6 October the Israeli air commander ordered his aircraft not to approach the Canal.

Stage 2 — developing the offensive eastward (14 October)

• Syria achieved notable success, so Israel concentrated its effort against her and bombarded the Syrian command in Damascus.
• Egypt hastened to develop the offensive in Sinai to relieve pressure on Syria: an air attack on enemy targets deep in Sinai on the morning of 14 October, followed by concentrated artillery bombardment.
• On the same day the fiercest air battles were fought over the Delta sky: the enemy sent 70–80 aircraft against Egyptian airfields; Egyptian aircraft intercepted them and fifteen Israeli aircraft were lost. This is counted among the most glorious days of the Air Force.

Stage 3 — repelling the Israeli counter-attack east of the Canal (15–17 October)

• Israel massed large armoured forces supported by infantry, air force and artillery and attacked the middle of the front on 15 October; the Egyptian forces frustrated the attack and inflicted heavy losses.
• The enemy kept pushing waves until he opened a gap in the Egyptian defences at El-Defsouar, south of Ismailia — after American intelligence revealed an empty space between the Second and Third Armies.

Stage 4 — confronting the enemy forces west of the Canal (18–24 October)

• Israel pushed forces west of the Canal, trying to seize a strategic objective before a ceasefire resolution was issued.
• It tried to take Ismailia and then Suez city on 24 October, but the stubborn resistance of the Egyptian army and the popular resistance inside Suez defeated the attack.
• On 22 October the Security Council issued a ceasefire resolution; Egypt and Israel declared acceptance, but Israel broke it.
• Despite two further Security Council resolutions on 23 and 25 October, Israel attacked Suez again on 28 October and the assault shattered against Egyptian defence.
• The Israeli forces west of the Canal were encircled from all sides and became a target threatened with annihilation but for the ceasefire.