June 9
Israel Launches Assault Capturing Golan Heights from Syria
On June 9, 1967, Israeli forces launched a decisive assault that seized the fortified Golan Heights from Syria, concluding major fighting in the Six-Day War.
Summary
During the final phase of the Six-Day War, Syrian forces continued shelling Israeli villages despite earlier cease-fire calls, prompting Israel to shift its focus northward. On June 9, 1967, Israeli jets conducted heavy airstrikes against Syrian positions on the Golan Heights followed by a ground offensive involving armored brigades and engineering units clearing minefields. Israeli forces under Maj. Gen. David Elazar advanced through fortified Syrian lines in intense fighting that lasted into the next day. By evening, Israeli troops had broken through to the plateau, forcing a Syrian retreat. The capture secured strategic high ground overlooking northern Israel and ended major combat operations in the war.
Context
The Six-Day War arose from mounting regional tensions rooted in the unresolved issues of the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict and the 1956 Suez Crisis. Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, responding to Soviet reports and seeking to support Syria, remilitarized the Sinai Peninsula in May 1967, expelled UN peacekeepers, and closed the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping, actions Israel had long declared a casus belli. These steps coincided with a mutual defense pact between Egypt and Jordan, while Syria maintained artillery positions on the Golan Heights that had repeatedly shelled Israeli villages.
What Happened
By June 8, Egypt and Jordan had accepted cease-fire terms, yet Syria continued its bombardment of northern Israel. Israeli leaders therefore directed attention northward, with Maj. Gen. David Elazar of the Northern Command preparing an operation against the heavily fortified Golan plateau. On the morning of June 9, Israeli aircraft carried out sustained airstrikes on Syrian artillery emplacements, bunkers, and command posts. Engineering units then cleared minefields under fire to open routes for armored brigades and infantry.
Aftermath
Intense fighting persisted through the night and into June 10 as Israeli forces pushed through successive Syrian defensive lines. Syrian troops eventually withdrew in disorder, allowing Israeli units to reach the plateau by evening. Syria formally accepted the cease-fire on June 10, bringing the Six-Day War to a close. Israel established military administration over the captured heights and the surrounding area.
Legacy
The occupation of the Golan Heights supplied Israel with commanding terrain overlooking its northern settlements and important water sources, while leaving a disputed territory at the center of Arab-Israeli diplomacy. The event contributed directly to the outbreak of the 1973 Yom Kippur War, when Syrian forces attempted to retake the plateau, and has remained a focal point in subsequent negotiations framed around UN Security Council Resolution 242 and the principle of land for peace.
Why It Matters
Control of the Golan Heights provided Israel with a defensible border and water resources while creating a long-term territorial dispute that has influenced Arab-Israeli relations and multiple subsequent conflicts including the 1973 Yom Kippur War. The event redrew the map of the Middle East and remains central to peace negotiations.
Related Questions
Why did fighting on the Golan Heights occur after cease-fires with Egypt and Jordan?
Syria refused to halt its artillery attacks on Israeli communities, leaving Israel no choice but to neutralize the threat from the heights.
Who commanded the Israeli operation against the Golan Heights?
Maj. Gen. David Elazar of the Northern Command directed the airstrikes and subsequent ground offensive.
What immediate territorial results followed the capture?
Israel gained control of the Golan plateau, ending active combat in the Six-Day War and placing the area under military administration.
How did the Golan Heights figure in later Arab-Israeli conflicts?
Syria attempted to retake the territory in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, and the heights have remained central to peace negotiations ever since.
Related Portfolio Site
US Military Atlas: Israel Launches Assault Capturing Golan Heights from Syria connects to military history, war consequences, or postwar diplomacy.
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Sources
- Six-Day War, Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed 2026-07-12.
- Six-Day War | Definition, Causes, History, Summary, Encyclopædia Britannica. Accessed 2026-07-12.