History of Egypt Yemen) known as the United Arab States. In the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel invaded and occupied Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and the Gaza Strip, which Egypt had occupied since the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Three years later (1970), President Nasser died and was succeeded by Anwar Sadat. Sadat switched Egypt's Cold War allegiance from the Soviet Union to the United States, expelling Soviet advisors in 1972. He launched the Infitah economic reform policy, while clamping down on religious and secular opposition. In 1973, Egypt, along with Syria, launched the October War, a surprise attack against the Israeli forces occupying the Sinai Peninsula
History of Egypt under Anwar Sadat against Israel began when the coalition launched a joint surprise attack on Israel on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism, which occurred that year during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Egyptian and Syrian forces crossed ceasefire lines to enter the Israeli-held Sinai Peninsula and Golan Heights respectively. The war ended with Israeli forces close to Cairo,but Sadat has restored the Egyptian pride and convinced the Israeli leadership that the status quo is no longer tenable. Egypt and Israel came together for negotiations with Israel, culminating in the Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty in which Israel traded the Sinai to Egypt