50 years after another devastating surprise attack, Israel is facing a different kind of war that will be tougher to fight

• After a surprise attack this month, Israel declared war on Hamas and began strikes in the Gaza Strip.
• This comes 50 years after another surprise attack on Israel by Egypt, Syria, and other Arab forces.
• Against Hamas today, Israel faces a different kind of opponent on a different kind of battlefield.

It was a Saturday in October 1973 when Arab armies launched a massive surprise attack that came perilously close to defeating Israel. And it was Saturday in October 2023 when Hamas launched a surprise assault across the Gaza border that killed more than 1,300 Israelis.