What happened
The war was fought between Israel and Egypt, Jordan, and Syria from 5 to 10 June 1967. On 5 June Israel launched preemptive air strikes that destroyed most of Egypt’s air force on the ground within hours — the decisive act of the war. In six days Israel took the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza from Egypt, the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan, and the Golan Heights from Syria.
Background
Arab-Israeli tension had been building on several fronts. In May 1967 Egypt ordered the UN Emergency Force out of Sinai, moved troops into the peninsula, and closed the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping.
Consequences
Egyptian losses were severe, commonly estimated at over 10,000 soldiers killed or missing, though estimates vary; the Suez Canal was closed and stayed closed until 1975. Nasser resigned on 9 June, then stayed in office after mass demonstrations calling him back. In Arab discourse the defeat became known as the naksa, the setback. UN Security Council Resolution 242, built on the principle of land for peace, followed; the defeat led to the War of Attrition and set the stage for the 1973 war.