In Exodus 14, what natural force drove the sea back so the Israelites could cross?

In Exodus 14, a strong east wind drove the sea back so the Israelites could cross on dry ground.

The Israelites had left Egypt but became trapped between the sea and Pharaoh’s approaching army. Moses stretched out his hand, and the narrative says that an east wind blew through the night. The waters divided, leaving dry ground for the Israelites to cross.

When the Egyptians pursued them, Moses again stretched out his hand. The waters returned and covered the chariots, horsemen, and army that had entered the sea after Israel. The story therefore combines a natural force with a miraculous deliverance in its theological presentation.

English translations vary in how they identify the body of water, often using “Red Sea” or “Sea of Reeds.” The wind itself is explicitly described as coming from the east.