Egyptian Naval Day Date in the current year: October 21, 2024
Egyptian Naval Day is celebrated on October 21. This holiday commemorates the sinking of the Israeli destroyer INS Eilat by the Egyptian Naval Force in 1967. Thus the Egyptian Navy became the first navy ever to sink a ship using anti-ship missiles.INS Eilat was a Z-Class destroyer. She spent over ten years in the Royal Navy as HMS Zealous before being sold the Israeli Navy. The ship was renamed INS Eilat. She participated in the Suez Crisis and was still active during the Six-Day War. INS Eilat was sunk several months after the war.
On October 21, 1967, Eilat was on patrol in international waters off Port Said in the Sinai. An Egyptian Komar-class missile boat launched two Stix missiles at Eilat. About an hour later, two more missiles were launched, and the destroyer sank.
The destroying of Elat was a milestone of modern navel warfare, as it was the first time anti-ship missiles demonstrated their potential. It inaugurated a new era in the development of naval weapons and naval strategy.
To commemorate the sinking of INS Eilat, Egyptians celebrate Naval Day on October 21 every year. It is not a public holiday, so government offices, schools, and businesses remain open for the day.
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- Egyptian Naval Day, Egyptian Navy, holidays in Egypt, professional days, INS Eilat