The "Rotem" Affair was a serious military intelligence alert failure. Between February 16 and 22, two Egyptian divisions crossed the Suez Canal into the Sinai Peninsula and were deployed near the Israeli border, motivated by Egypt's fear that Israel was planning to attack Syria. Military Intelligence had advance information but it was neither understood nor properly evaluated until February 24, when it was reported to the General Staff. Thousands of reservists were mobilized and war almost broke out. The Chief of Staff lost confidence in the head of Military Intelligence and only after several weeks did the tension subside.