Why Egypt not did extend its attack towards the east to the passes?
On 14th October Egypt extended its attack to the east to the passes for a political objective which was to reduce the pressure for Syria.
It had not been planned to get the passes back at that time because the attack of Egyptian tanks would be beyond the reach of missiles of the Egyptian air defence "Sam" that expose them to extensive Israeli air raids.
That happened in fact and Egypt lost many tanks on 14th of October. ( This was the strongest battle with participation of 1500 tank and air activity from the two parties .... our losses of tanks this day amount 250 tank)-chief of operation Mohamed Abdel Ghany Al-Gamsy.
The attack was developed to the east in spite of the objection of each of Saad Al Shazly, Chief of headquarter staff and Saad Ma'moon, leader of the second army and Abdel Moneim Wassel, leader of the third army.
But it was a political decision of the late president Anwar Al-Sadat to lighten the pressure of war on the brother state Syria. Unfortunately, that was the most faulty political military decision in the war of 1973.