The Soviet Union, wanting to involve Egypt…

The Soviet Union, wanting to involve Egypt as a deterrent to an Israeli initiative against Syria, misinforms Nasser on May 13 that the Israelis are planning to attack Syria on May 17 and that they have already concentrated eleven to thirteen brigades on the Syrian border for this purpose.

The Syrian government, in turn, chides Nasser for inaction, taunting him openly for hiding behind the UNEF.

In response, Nasser puts his armed forces in a state of maximum alert and sends combat troops into Sinai.

Armed with Soviet tanks and planes, Nasser claims his option under the 1956 accord to demand withdrawal of UN peacekeeping forces from the Sinai.

He notifies UN Secretary General U Thant of his decision “to terminate the existence of the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) on United Arab Republic (UAR) soil and in the Gaza Strip,” and announces the closure of the Strait of Tiran.