Tantawi, Hussein

Tantawi, Hussein

(Mohamed Hussein Tantawi Soliman), 1935–, Egyptian field marshal. Joining the army in 1956, he became defense minister (1991) and commander-in-chief of the armed forces (1995). He served in the Arab-Israeli WarsArab-Israeli Wars,
conflicts in 1948–49, 1956, 1967, 1973–74, and 1982 between Israel and the Arab states. Tensions between Israel and the Arabs have been complicated and heightened by the political, strategic, and economic interests in the area of the great powers.
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 of 1956, 1967, and 1973–74, and the First Persian Gulf WarPersian Gulf Wars,
two conflicts involving Iraq and U.S.-led coalitions in the late 20th and early 21st cent.

The First Persian Gulf War, also known as the Gulf War, Jan.–Feb.
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 (1990–91). Appointed deputy prime minister by President MubarakMubarak, Muhammad Hosni
, 1928–, president of Egypt (1981–2011). Air force commander (1972–75) and vice president (1975–81) of Egypt, he became president after Anwar al-Sadat was assassinated on Oct. 6, 1981.
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 in Jan., 2011, he became head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which assumed control of the country following Mubarak's resignation in Feb., 2011. Following the election of Mohamed MorsiMorsi, Mohamed
, 1951–, Egyptian engineer and political leader, grad. Cairo Univ. (B.A. 1975. M.A. 1978), Univ. of Southern California (Ph.D. 1982). He taught engineering at California State Univ., Northridge, and after returning to Egypt in 1985, at Zagazig Univ.
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 as president in June, 2012, a power struggle between the military and the civilian (now heavily Islamist) government ensued, and in Aug., 2012, Morsi replaced Tantawi as defense minister and head of the armed forces.