Antiochus IV invaded the south (Egypt) again (see Polybius, Histories 29.1).
The warships from western coastlands refer to the Romans. The Roman general Popilius Laenas drew a circle in the sand, made Antiochus stand inside it, and forced him to decide whether to return home or prepare for war with Rome before leaving the circle.
Fearing the Roman fleet, Antiochus chose to withdraw and return home. He then took out his anger and humiliation on the Jews, the people of the holy covenant. He captured Jerusalem in 167 BC and rewarded those who joined him. He defiled the altar (see Daniel 8:9–14, 23–26), stopped the sacrifices, set up a statue of the Greek god Zeus in the temple, and persecuted and killed those who refused to abandon the covenant (see 1 Maccabees 1:62–64; compare Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15).