The War of attrition was a war static, along the line of cease-fire of the Guerre the Six Day old, but mainly concentrated along the Suez Canal, and which will last of 1968 with 1970. Its name is pronounced for the first time by the Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser in a statement which it makes on June 23rd 1969; " I cannot invade the the Sinai, but I can break moral Israel by wear. ". In addition to the Egyptian military superiority, Nasser also counts on the continuation of the supply weapons by the Soviet Union, and thus hopes to thwart an Israeli massive counter-offensive, in order to oblige in the final analysis Israel to evacuate Suez Canal. When in October 1968, the War of Attrition arrives at its paroxysm of tensions on the Egyptian border, Israel builds the line Bar-Lev.

October 31st, 1968, Tsahal organizes an attack on the part Northern of the border with the Egypt, and thus destroyed the position of Banaj Hamadi . The proposal made invade the territories located on other bank of the channel is then disallowed, because of the lack of material at the disposal of Tsahal to cross the channel, but also for political reasons. After a few months of lull, in March 1969, the Egyptian artillery starts intensive shootings against the Israeli positions along the channel. July 20th, 1969, Israel counteracts by attacking, by the airs, the Egyptian cities located along the channel. This attack makes flee area 750.000 inhabitants Egyptian. At the end of January - at the beginning of February 1970, the USSR forwards to Egypt cargoes of weapons in impressive quantity. These last include/understand inter alia missiles SAM-3, guns " Nun-Mem" , of the apparatuses of communication-radio accompanied by many Soviet technicians, of the Yirot planes manually-controlled also by Soviet pilots. 15.000 Soviet soldiers moreover are sent in Egypt. April 18th, 1970 takes place the first combat between Israeli aviation and of the Mig planes controlled by the Soviets. July 30th, 5 Mig planes are cut down by the forces of Israel. Following this combat, Moscow then makes pressure on the Egyptians in order to accept a cease-fire.

After the signature of the cease-fire, under American control, of August 7th, 1970, the Egyptians concentrate on the edges of the channel of many lances of missiles, and this, contrary to the agreements concluded.

The War of Attrition, along the Jordanian border, is carried out mainly by PLO, accompanied by a passive support of the Jordan. These attacks along the Eastern border of Israel last until the black September in 1970, when the king Hussein returns the PLO of the Jordanian kingdom.

The War of Attrition will make 721 victims, including 594 soldiers.