The war in Israel has a complex history, but it can be traced back to the late 19th century when Zionists sought to establish a homeland for the Jewish people in Ottoman-controlled Palestine. The following are some key events that led to the war in Israel:

• 1947-1948: The United Nations voted for Palestine to be split into separate Jewish and Arab states, with Jerusalem becoming an international city. Jewish leaders accepted the plan, but the Arab side rejected it and never implemented it. Fighting began with attacks by irregular bands of Palestinian Arabs attached to local units of the Arab Liberation Army composed of volunteers from Palestine and neighboring Arab countries. These groups launched their attacks against Jewish cities, settlements, and armed forces. After Israel declared its independence on May 14, 1948, the fighting intensified with other Arab forces joining the Palestinian Arabs in attacking territory in the former Palestinian mandate. On the eve of May 14, the Arabs launched an air attack on Tel Aviv, which the Israelis resisted. This action was followed by the invasion of the former Palestinian mandate by Arab armies from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Egypt.

• 1967: Israel launched what it said was a pre-emptive defensive war against Jordan, Egypt, and Syria, as they appeared to be preparing to invade. The attack caught Arab governments by surprise and saw Israel achieve rapid victories, including seizing the Sinai Peninsula and the Gaza Strip from Egypt, the Golan Heights from Syria, and the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan. The six-day war was a spectacular military success for Israel. Its capture of all of Jerusalem and newly acquired control over the biblical lands called Judea and Samaria in Israel opened the way to the construction of Jewish settlements in the West Bank, which became central.

• 1973: The Syrian and Egyptian armies launched the Yom Kippur War, a well-planned surprise attack against Israel.

The war in Israel has a long and complicated history, with many factors contributing to the conflict.