The Yom Kippur War of 1973, the most recent full war in Middle East history, is so-called because it began on the Day of Atonement, the holiest day of prayer and fasting in the Jewish calendar. The yom kippur war is also known as the October War, at the time of Yom Kippur, Israel was led by Golda Meir & Egypt by Sadat. Yom Kippur War started with a surprise Arab attack on Israel on Saturday 6th October 1973.
On this day, Egyptian & Syrian military forces launched an attack knowing that the military of Israel would be participating in the religious celebrations associated with Yom Kippur. Thus, their guard would temporarily be dropped. The combined forces of Egypt & Syria totalled the same number of men as NATO had in Western Europe. On the Golan Heights alone, 150 Israeli tanks faced 1,400 Syria tanks & in the Suez region just 500 Israeli soldiers faced 80,000 Egyptian soldiers.
Other Arab nations aided the Egyptians and Syrians. Iraq transferred a squadron of Hunter jet fighter planes to Egypt a few months before the war began. Iraqi Russian-built MIG fighters were used against the Israelis in the Golan Heights along with 18,000 Iraqi soldiers. Saudi Arabia & Kuwait effectively financed the war from the Arabs side. Saudi troops approximately 3,000 men - also fought in the war.
Libya provided Egypt with French-built Mirage fighters & in the years 1971 to 1973, Libya bankrolled Egypt's military modernization to the tune of $1 billion which was used to purchase modern Russian weapons. Other Arabic nations that helped the Egyptians & Syrians included Tunisia, Sudan and Morocco. Jordan also sent two armoured brigades & three artillery units to support the Syrians, but their participation in the war was not done with vast enthusiasm probably because King Hussein of Jordan had not been kept informed of what Egypt & Syria planned.