 Nyorai kuenderera mberi kweiyi ndima - Musi wa13 Gunyana 1940, Hondo yeChishanu yeItaly yakayambuka muganhu kubva kukoloni yeItaly yeLibya ichienda kuEgypt, uko mauto eBritish akanga achidzivirira Suez Canal. Kupinda kweItalyyakapfuudzwa kuSidi Barrani, anenge makiromita 95 mukati meEgypt. Zvadaro vaItaly vakatanga kukanda mapfumo pasi. Panguva ino kwaingova navanhu vokuBritain 30 000 chete vaigona kuzvidzivirira pamasoja eItaly 250 000. Chisarudzo cheItaly chokumisa kufambira mberi kwacho chinowanzokonzerwa nokusaziva kwavo simba reBritain, uye basa remauto ehondo eBritain anoshanda muMediterranean kuvhiringidza mitsetse yezvokudya zveItaly. Paiva nezviteshi zvengarava zveRoyal Navy paAlexandria, Haifa, uye Port Said. Zvichitevera kumira kweChikumi cheItaly, maBritish akashandisa makoramu eJock eWestern Desert Force kunetsa mitsara yavo muEjipitori. 