In June 1967, Israel captured the strategically vital Golan Heights from Syria following an intense six-day conflict, a culmination of escalating tensions fueled by a defense pact between Syria and Egypt and persistent attacks on Israeli territory. The military action secured the elevated plateau overlooking Israel's northern communities.
A year prior to the Six-Day War, Syria and Egypt formalized a mutual defense pact in November 1966. This alliance was a significant factor in the regional instability. According to a tweet from Visegrád 24, this pact "enabled the PLO’s aggressive attacks on Israel from Syrian soil." These Palestinian fedayeen operations, including those by groups like Fatah, involved cross-border infiltrations and sabotage against Israeli targets, contributing to a volatile border situation.
The tensions intensified with Syrian artillery and fighter jet attacks launched from the Golan Heights against Israeli settlements. These repeated provocations, along with the broader Arab-Israeli geopolitical climate, led to Israel's preemptive strike on June 5, 1967. The tweet specifies that "After Syrian artillery & fighter jets attacked Israel in the Six-Day War, Israel took the Golan Heights."
The capture of the Golan Heights by Israeli forces on June 9-10, 1967, was a critical outcome of the war, providing Israel with a significant strategic advantage and ending years of direct shelling from Syrian positions. The international community, with the exception of the United States, continues to consider the Golan Heights as Syrian territory held under Israeli military occupation. The status of the territory remains a key point of contention in the ongoing Arab-Israeli conflict.