Israel's War of Independence began 1948 and last through much of 1949. Israel lost the Old City of Jerusalem to the Jordanians but registered gains elsewhere.

 

Israel's narrow waist - 9 miles or 15 kilometers across its populated coastal zone - spurred surrounding Arab states to attempting another invasion.

 

But after waiting almost too long, Israel struck suddenly on June 5, 1967, erasing the Egyptian and Syrian air forces in several hours and determining the outsome of the war, which resulted in substantial gains of territory and recovery of Jerusalem.

 

The subsequent "war of attrition" and the surprise attack against Israel from the Egyptians and Syrians would lead to large losses and, eventually, a peace treaty with Egypt.