On May 22, 1967, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser closed the Gulf of Aqaba to Israeli shipping, blockading the southern Israeli port city of Elat.
Notes on verification
Core claim confirmed by multiple independent, reputable sources (Britannica, Jewish Virtual Library, US State Dept, Sixdaywar.org). Minor date discrepancy exists (May 22 vs 23) across sources, likely due to distinction between initial decision/announcement and formal speech, but substance of the claim is not disputed among historians.
Sources
- Six-Day War | Definition, Causes, History, Summary, Outcomes ... (britannica.com)
- https://jewishvirtuallibrary.org/myths-and-facts-the-1967-six-day-war (jewishvirtuallibrary.org)
- https://www.sixdaywar.org/war/the-egyptian-front/ (sixdaywar.org)
- https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1964-68v19/summary (history.state.gov)
- https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1968/december/gulf-aqaba-and-strait-tiran (usni.org)