Operation Dezful

Operation Dezful
Part of Iran–Iraq War
Dezful is located in Iran
Dezful
Dezful
Location of the city of Dezful, Iran
DateOctober 15, 1980
Location
Dezful, southwest Iran
Result

Iraqi victory

  • Although Iranian counter-attack is defeated it succeeds in halting elements of the Iraqi advance causing the Iraqis to reconsider their plan
  • Iraqis scout the surroundings but refrain from entering and occupying the weakly defended city
  • Iraqis choose to remain entrenched in more easily defensible positions on the west bank of Dez river from where they maintain the siege of Dezful
Belligerents
 Iraq  Iran
Commanders and leaders
Ba'athist Iraq Iran
Strength
3000-4000 infantry [1]
100 tanks[2]
Casualties and losses
Light KIA 400
136 combat vehicles
84 tanks destroyed[3]

Operation Dezful was fought in early stage of the Iran–Iraq War on 15 October 1980 as Iranian tank brigades from the 16th Qazvin, 77th Khorasan, and 92nd Khuzestan armoured divisions attacked Iraqi positions. The Iranian Army's aim was to stop Iraqis progress in Iranian territories and to push them back. However, Iraqi forces counterattacked from the flanks, and repulsed the Iranian forces. The Iranian failure was blamed on poor decision making, the purge of army commanders due to their participation in Nojeh coup plot, and underestimating fire power of Iraqi forces and they were forced to retreat to the eastern shores of Dez River west of Dezful.[4][5]

  1. ^ Malovany, Pesach (21 July 2017). Wars of Modern Babylon: A History of the Iraqi Army from 1921 to 2003. ISBN 9780813169453.
  2. ^ Malovany, Pesach (21 July 2017). Wars of Modern Babylon: A History of the Iraqi Army from 1921 to 2003. ISBN 9780813169453.
  3. ^ Malovany, Pesach (21 July 2017). Wars of Modern Babylon: A History of the Iraqi Army from 1921 to 2003. ISBN 9780813169453.
  4. ^ http://www.ensani.ir/fa/content/72114/default.aspx [bare URL]
  5. ^ https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/trecms/pdf/AD1178330.pdf [bare URL PDF]