President Eisenhower condemned their aggression. He put the US Strategic Air Command on alert and threatened sanctions, ultimately forcing the British, French and Israelis to withdraw.
After Egypt's president Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal in October, 1956 (taking ownership and control of it for Egypt), Israel sent troops into the Sinai region to challenge the Egyptians. British and French forces joined the Israelis within two days. The European powers were interested in maintaining their stake in the control of the Suez Canal. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev threatened major retaliation, including nuclear missiles, against Britain and France if they did not withdraw. (The Soviet Union was a sponsor of Egypt.) America's response, issued by Eisenhower, was less radical, but still strong, threatening economic sanctions. The "Suez Crisis," as it became known, thus ended within months. The British and French withdrew troops in December, 1956, and Israel pulled its forces back by March of 1957.