The Saudi-Egyptian War (Arabic: الحرب السعودية-المصرية Harb Masr-al Arrabiyah as-S'udiyyah'), or the Great Arab War (Arabic: الحرب العربية الكبرى Al-Harb Arrabiyah) by Arab nations; or the Great Holy War (Arabic: الحرب المقدسة العظمى) (Hebrew: מלחמת הקודש הגדול) by Christian/Muslim groups and Israeli/Palestinean citizens; was an all-out war fought between Saudi Arabia, the largest Arab state; and Egypt, the most populous Arab state, and Israel from 2018 to 2021. Egypt was determined to regain Jordanian territory it had lost against Saudi Arabia during the Battle of Aqaba in 2015. The war was mostly characterized by incursions on all land, air and sea. Nationalisms in both nations let to the determination to dethrone Israel as the Middle East's main power, but also led to strong national enmities between the two Arab states caused by the opposing ideologies of each one.
Armed hostilies began along the southern Aqaba region as a result of military interventions between the two nations' armies after violent religious altercations between soldiers and civilians. After Saudi Arabia conquered Yemen and Oman (who both fought with Egyptian aid), it became clear and obvious that war was imminent, even after Egypt and Saudi Arabia signed the Saudi-Egyptian Nonagression Acts. The war became official when Saudi Arabia and Israel initiated Operation Exodus-Hijra where Saudi Arabia mobilized for large-scale encounters on the battlefields while the Israelis conducted small-scale operations and raids.
The U.N. refused to mandate a cease-fire between the two Arab states, saying that both needed to resolve the situation between themselves before the U.N. could get involved.
Despite being Muslim by majority, the Egyptians threatened to shell Mecca and Jerusalem to the ground by firing rockets at both cities, prompting King Abdullah to surrender while Shlomo Peretz abandoned the Egyptian campaign. King Abdullah's decision to invade Iran and the destroy the Bahrain-Saudi bridge turned his allies against him, giving Egypt the larger favor. Because of Israel's involvement itself, the war is also called the Fifth Arab-Israeli Conflict (Arabic: الصراع العربي-الإسرائيلي الخامس) (Hebrew: הסכסוך הערבי-ישראלי החמישי).
Religion played a significant impact as to who supported which nation. Countries that were overtly Islamic sent support for Saudi Arabia for the sake of being the home of Islam; they included Bahrain, Qatar, Malaysia, Brunei and paramilitary groups such as the Mujahideen, which established the Arabian Power Army (Arabic: الجيش السلطة العربية) or the APA. Other Islamic groups dedicated to defending the utmost Muslim holy land like the Nation of Islam from the United States sent members to fight for in the APA. Overtly Christian nations such as the Vatican City and Italy sent members to fight for Israel. Like the Nation of Islam, devout Christian groups from southern United States and even Lebanon sent financial and even manpower support for Israel, forming the lesser group known as the New Crusade Army (Hebrew: צבא מסע צלב חדש Arabic: الجيش حملة صليبية جديدة) which included Israel itself. Nationalistic nations in North Africa opposed APA conquest and devoted themselves to helping Egypt; including Morocco, Libya and Sudan, three other large Arab states which composed of the North African League. The Janjaweed Army, a large Sudanese paramilitary force provided the Egyptians the backbone for turning the tide and repulsing the invasion. Russia and India were Egypt's biggest supporters, that stemmed from high cooperation between the nations. Russia had a long history of supporting the Egyptian military, sending various airlifts to southern Egypt and northern Sudan.
The war in many aspects was largely influenced by World War II and helped Egypt retain its status as the main power of the Middle East. Many Arab leaders admitted to adopting World War II tactics, characterized by nationalism, military buildups and conquest and even the use of snipers in the fierce battles of Alexandria, Cairo and Suez that demoralized the Saudis.
Background
The Second Arab Spring
In 2017, the Jeddah Incident and the 2018 Religious Riots in the United Arab Emirates between different religious groups initiated the Wahabist Nationalist Movement in Saudi Arabia. Tensions against different religious sections worsened in the largest Arab state and King Abdullah increased heavy taxes on people of different religions that weren't of his in Saudi Arabia, and endorsed de jure lynching against them. Many non-Muslim women in Saudi Arabia experienced enforced marriages to Wahabist attackers, forced conversion to Wahabism, religious background checks, enslavement to Wahabist families, deportation and loss of jobs unless converted to Wahabism, and matters of the sort. The Egyptian Cultural Revival of 2017 gave a distinct image on Egyptian Arabs. President Mahmoud Ibrahim funded these cultural revivals which praised the ancient cultures that thrived in Egypt, including the Ancient Egyptian culture, Greek and Hebrew culture, reviving their influence in Egypt. Both nations resurrected the old vengeful intentions of replacing Israel as the main military power in the Middle East and were also rich in oil refineries and abundance of gold and metals. In October 3, 2017, Egypt ended its reocognition of Israel as a state, and denounced Anwar el-Sadat for recognizing it as a legal state. Egypt and Saudi Arabia closed its oil exports to Israel and the United States. In Egypt, the nationalism grew with angry resentments towards Saudi Arabia. Sudan and Libya supported the Egyptian nationalism and embraced its influence. Despite sharing the goals of replacing Israel as the power in the Middle East, the Egyptians had no intent of uniting with Saudi Arabia and expressed public hatred for Saudi Arabia. Despite diplomatic attempts by President Ibrahim and still-Saudi Arabian king, Abdullah bin Abdulaziz to retain relations, this failed and economic cooperation between the two nations diminished.
Immigration Issues
Following the Great Expulsion of 2018; Egypt initiated the Hatshepsut Refugee Aid Program (HRAP), (Arabic: برنامج مساعدات اللاجئين حتشبسوت) which provided much aid for refugees escaping Saudi Arabia, granting these refugees Egyptian citizenship and allowed military personnel to escort escaping refugees from Saudi Arabia. King Abdullah sought U.N. help for a retaliation operation against Egypt. But the U.N. refused and told King Abdullah that these hostilities were to be solved between Ibrahim and himself before the United Nations could get involved. Saudi Arabia increased its hostilities and authorized Saudi troops to open fire on escaping refugees to Egypt. In Saudi Arabia, Egyptian citizens with visas were given a high tax, some even faced lynching. As a result, Egypt banned Saudi citizens altogether, who were deported back to Saudi Arabia. Many, even sent to Egyptian military prisons - forming the foundation for the boiling enmity between the two Arab states. Ibrahim resorted to more military solutions by allowing troops to open fire on Saudi soldiers who he considered to be "torturous" against helpless refugees. The HRAP also sent compensation funds for families affected by the deaths of those trying to escape to Egypt. King Abdullah openly called Ibrahim a "Satanic animal" and told every devout Muslim nation "never to give a cent to Egypt". The issues divided Islamic nations and organizations worldwide, attested by Pakistan, a strong supporter of Egypt and Malaysia, a strong supporter of Saudi Arabia.
2018 Border Hostilities
Middle Eastern Arms Race
Abdullah Religious Crisis
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