On October 31, 1956, Britain and France launched air strikes against Egypt, escalating the Suez Crisis into open war. British and French planes attacked Egyptian airfields and military installations, with the aim of the operation being to force Egypt to retreat and regain control of the strategic Suez Canal.
The military escalation came after Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal Company on July 26. The company was a British-French enterprise that had operated the canal for decades. Nasser announced that the proceeds would finance the construction of the Aswan High Dam, after the United States and Britain withdrew support for the project.
The Secret Plan Behind the Ultimatum
On October 29, Israel launched an offensive through the Sinai Peninsula. The following day, Britain and France gave Egypt and Israel a 24-hour ultimatum to withdraw their troops 10 miles from both sides of the canal and accept the temporary deployment of British and French forces in the area.
Egypt rejected the terms. According to the presentation of the British and French governments, the intervention was to "guarantee the security of the Suez Canal and restore peace in the Middle East". In practice, the military operation was prepared in secret talks between Britain, France and Israel near Sèvres, near Paris. The plan called for an Israeli offensive, followed by a British-French intervention.
In the first hours of the operation, Egyptian air bases in the canal and Nile Delta area were attacked. The bombing continued on November 1. According to historical documents, the Anglo-French air campaign was aimed at destroying Egyptian aviation and preparing for a ground offensive.
Pressure stops the offensive
On November 5, British paratroopers captured an airfield near El Gamil, and French paratroopers landed at Port Fouad. The next day, British and French forces began landing at Port Said and advanced towards the canal.
However, the operation was stopped under strong international pressure. The United States insisted on a ceasefire, and the UN Security Council failed to adopt a resolution due to the veto of Britain and France. The matter was referred to the General Assembly, which supported a ceasefire and the creation of the first UN peacekeeping force.
The ceasefire came into effect on the night of 6–7 November 1956. British, French and Israeli troops withdrew, leaving the Suez Canal under Egyptian control. Navigation was restored in April 1957.
The Suez Crisis was a major political blow for London and Paris. It showed that the two European powers could no longer unilaterally impose their will on the Middle East, and Egyptian President Nasser emerged from the conflict as a symbol of Arab nationalism.
Sources: theguardian.com, history.co.uk