The Jordan River, originating in Syria and flowing through Jordan and Lebanon to Israel, is the lifeline of the Middle East. At dawn on June 5, 1967, the water conflict that marked the onset of the global water crisis began here. When Syria blocked the river upstream, Israel launched a full-scale attack, bombing Syrian construction equipment and ending the war in just six days. Known as the Third Middle East War or the Six-Day War, the conflict concluded with a decisive Israeli victory. Israel gained control over the groundwater in the upper Jordan River and the West Bank. Syria’s allies, Egypt and Jordan, also participated in the war but were defeated.