Six-Day War

==== The Egyptian Army ====
During the ground fighting, remnants of the [[Egyptian Air Force]] attacked Israeli ground forces but took losses from the Israeli Air Force and from Israeli anti-aircraft units. Throughout the last four days, Egyptian aircraft flew 150 sorties against Israeli units in the Sinai.{{cn|date=June 2022}}

Many of the Egyptian units remained intact and could have tried to prevent the Israelis from reaching the [[Suez Canal]], or engaged in combat in the attempt to reach the canal. However, when the Egyptian Field Marshal [[Abdel Hakim Amer]] heard about the fall of [[Battle of Abu-Ageila (1967)|Abu-Ageila]], he panicked and ordered all units in the Sinai to retreat. This order effectively meant the defeat of Egypt.{{cn|date=June 2022}}

Meanwhile, President [[Gamal Abdel Nasser|Nasser]], having learned of the results of the Israeli air strikes, decided together with Field Marshal [[Abdel Hakim Amer|Amer]] to order a general retreat from the Sinai within 24 hours. No detailed instructions were given concerning the manner and sequence of withdrawal.<ref name="ahram1">{{Cite web |url=http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/Archive/2007/848/sc1.htm |title=The road to Naksa |work=Al-Ahram |author=Mubasher, Abdou |date=7–13 June 2007 |access-date=24 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170524214942/http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/Archive/2007/848/sc1.htm |archive-date=24 May 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>