But Suez Canal traffic was halted during the Six-Day Arab-Israeli war of June 1967. A number of vessels were sunk there, blocking the waterway. Also, explosive mines, bombs and other war debris lay below the surface. Much of this accumulation resulted from the 1968-1970 “War of Attrition” and the Arab-Israeli conflict of October 1973.

British troops stationed in the canal zone departed in June 1956, and during the following month, Britain and the United States withdrew offers of financial aid for the Aswan High Dam. This was among factors leading to the seizure of the Suez Canal on July 26, 1956, by Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, who intended to use canal tolls to finance construction of the dam. On October 29, 1956, the Israelis invaded Egypt. Two days later she was attacked by France and Britain, with a view to reestablishing international control of the canal. Fighting was halted on November 6, 1956, by United Nations action, and during March 1957 the waterway was reopened under Egyptian control. Ten years later it was closed due to the Arab-Israeli war of June 1967.