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Operation Beit ol-Moqaddas

1982 military operation

1982 military operation

FieldValue
conflictOperation Beit ol-Moqaddas
partofIran–Iraq War
image[[File:Operation Beit ol-Moqaddas map.svg300pxframelessnone]]
date24 April – 24 May 1982
()
placeKhuzestan, South-West Iran
territoryIranians liberated Khorramshahr and the town of Hoveyzeh as well as villages, around 4,500 km2 overall, and pushed Iraqi forces to near the border
resultIranian victory
combatant1Ba'athist Iraq
combatant2Iran
commander1Iraq Ahmad Zeidan
Iraq Salah al-Qadhi
Iraq Juwad Shitnah
Iraq Musin Jali
commander2Iran Mohsen Rezaee
Iran Col. Ali Sayad Shirazi
Iran Gholam Ali Rashid
Iran Col. Massoud Monfared Niyaki
Iran Hassan Baqer
Iran Col. Hossein Hassani Sa'di
Iran Ahmad Gholampoor
Iran Col. Siroos Lotfi
strength165,000 troops:
500 tanks, 500 APCs and 500 artillery pieces<ref nameRazeoux/
strength2200,000 troops:
700–1,000 tanks<ref>{{cite bookurlhttps://books.google.com/books?id=XY9FAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA299title=Days of God: The Revolution in Iran and Its Consequencesfirst=Jameslast=Buchandate=15 October 2013publisher=Simon and Schusterisbn=9781416597773access-date=19 October 2017via=Google Books}}
≈600 artillery pieces<ref nameRazeoux/
casualties18,000 killed
19,000 captured<ref nameRazeoux/
250 tanks, 300 APCs, 100 artillery pieces destroyed or captured<ref nameRazeoux/
casualties212,000–15,000 killed
25,000 wounded<ref nameRazeoux/
400 tanks destroyed<ref nameRazeoux/

() Iraq Salah al-Qadhi Iraq Juwad Shitnah Iraq Musin Jali Iran Col. Ali Sayad Shirazi Iran Gholam Ali Rashid Iran Col. Massoud Monfared Niyaki Iran Hassan Baqer Iran Col. Hossein Hassani Sa'di Iran Ahmad Gholampoor Iran Col. Siroos Lotfi

90 infantry battalions

43 armored battalions

23 mechanized battalions

22 commando battalions

12 border guard battalions

30 artillery battalions

500 tanks, 500 APCs and 500 artillery pieces

112 infantry battalions

23 armored battalions

9 mechanized battalions

29 artillery battalions

5 combat engineer battalions

1 pontoon bridge battalion

4 army aviation units (96 helicopters)

700–1,000 tanks ≈600 artillery pieces

15,000 wounded

19,000 captured

250 tanks, 300 APCs, 100 artillery pieces destroyed or captured

25,000 wounded

400 tanks destroyed Operation Beit-ol-Moqaddas (; Operation Jerusalem), also known as the Operation Toward Beit-ol-Moqaddas (عملیات الی بیت‌المقدس), was an Iranian operation conducted during the Iran–Iraq War. The operation was a success, as it achieved its standing aim of liberating Khorramshahr and pushed Iraqi troops back to the border. This operation, coupled with Operation Tariq-ol-Qods, and Operation Fath-ol-Mobin, succeeded in evicting Iraqi troops from southern Iran and gave Iran the momentum.

Prelude

On 22 September 1980, because of threats from Khomeini's regime, leading to the abrogation of the 1975 Algiers Agreement, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein declared war against Iran and launched a land invasion of southern Iran, although operations did occur elsewhere on the Iran–Iraq border. After achieving successes due to the post-Revolution military and political chaos in Iran, Saddam Hussein ordered that the Iraqi troops "dig-in" on the front line. He hoped that this would show the world that he cared about the fate of the Iranian people, and that he was only concerned with achieving his aim of securing the entire Shatt al-Arab waterway, which had been resolved since the 1975 Algiers Agreement, but was disputed again since the treaty was abrogated due to Iran's actions. However, since the Islamic Revolution of Iran in 1979, Iraq had felt that it was necessary to assume what it wanted through force, since previous attempts in getting the revolutionary Iranian government to negotiate a new settlement had proved fruitless, due to Iran's foreign policy.

Once the Iraqi forces had settled, the Iranians were planning a series of operations designed to evict the Iraqis from southern Iran, of which Operation Tariq al-Qods was one.

Battle

The Iranians attacked, with some 70,000 soldiers in the Ahvaz–Susangerd area. The Iraqi forces in the area withdrew, and strengthened the defenses of Khorramshahr.

The Iraqis launched a counter-offensive on 20 May. However, despite its scale, the Iranians were able to repulse the attack.

On 24 May, the Iranians liberated Khorramshahr; the strategic and symbolic Iranian city whose capture by Iraq had been the low-point of Iranian fortunes in the early days of the war.

The Iraqis were ordered to retreat, although many had done so when Khorramshahr had fallen, back into Iraq. The Iranians captured 15,000-19,000 Iraqi troops and a substantial amount of Iraqi military hardware in Khorramshahr.

The commander of the Iraqi forces in the city, Colonel Ahmad Zeidan, attempted to flee, but was trapped in a minefield which previously had been set up on his orders, and killed when he stepped on a mine.

Units

Iran

Iranian units involved in the operation were as follows: Each IRGC battalion was consisted of 300 Basij volunteers at most, while each Army battalion was around 2.5 times bigger. However, the number of battalions in each IRGC brigade was bigger than those of the Army.

Karbala Central Headquarters Commanded by Mohsen Rezaee (IRGC commander) and Col. Ali Sayyad Shirazi (Army commander)

Combat engineer units involved were as follows:

  • Army: 63 engineering vehicles overall
    • Combat Engineer Battalion of 21st Division
    • Combat Engineer Battalion of 92nd Division
    • Combat Engineer Battalion of 16th Division
    • 411th Combat Engineer Group of Borujerd
      • 422nd Pontoon Bridge Group of Daghagheleh, Ahvaz
    • 411th Pontoon Bridge Battalion
    • 414th Combat Engineer Battalion
      • Zafar Company
  • IRGC: 60 engineering vehicles overall
  • Jihad of Construction: 100 engineering vehicles overall

Other forces included:

  • Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force: The IRIAF conducted 2,161 sorties overall. Air support duties were performed using 2 surface-to-surface missile bases together with F-4 Phantom II and F-14 Tomcat fighter jets. 20 sorties were conducted in the first day and 6 sorties in other days as close air support. 3 airbases were dedicated to medical evacuation duties, with 12-20 sorties per day.
  • Islamic Republic of Iran Army Aviation (Havanirooz): 96 helicopters were involved, including (sources differ on numbers): 24-26 Bell AH-1J International, 22-32 Bell 214, 6-16 Boeing CH-47C Chinook, 16-32 Bell 206 helicopters
  • Islamic Republic of Iran Navy's Takavar units
  • Islamic Republic of Iran Air Defense Force

Iraq

Iraqi units involved in the operation were as follows:

  • 3rd Armored Division Commanded by Brig. Gen. Jawad Asaad Shitnah
    • 6th Armored Brigade
    • 12th Armored Brigade Commanded by Muhsin Abd al-Jalil
    • 53rd Armored Brigade
    • 8th Mechanized Brigade
  • 6th Armored Division
    • 16th Armored Brigade
    • 30th Armored Brigade
    • 25th Mechanized Brigade
  • 7th Armored Division
  • 9th Armored Division
    • 35th Armored Brigade
    • 43rd Armored Brigade
    • 14th Mechanized Brigade
  • 12th Armored Division
    • 37th Armored Brigade
    • 46th Mechanized Brigade
  • 10th Armored Division
    • 17th Armored Brigade
    • 24th Mechanized Brigade
  • 5th Mechanized Division
    • 26th Armored Brigade
    • 55th Armored Brigade
    • 15th Mechanized Brigade
    • 20th Mechanized Brigade
  • 11th Infantry Division
    • 44th Infantry Brigade
    • 48th Infantry Brigade
    • 49th Infantry Brigade
    • 22nd Infantry Brigade
    • 45th Infantry Brigade
    • 113th Infantry Brigade
  • 7th Infantry Division (I Corps)
    • 19th Infantry Brigade
    • 39th Infantry Brigade
  • 15th Infantry Division
  • 10th Independent Armored Brigade
  • 31st, 32nd, 33rd, 416th, 417th, 601st, 602nd, 603rd, 119th Special Forces Brigades
  • Republican Guards:
    • 10th Armored Brigade
  • 109th, 419th, 416th, 90th, 417th, 601st, 602nd, 605th, 606th, 409th, 238th, & 501st Independent Infantry Brigades
  • 9th, 10th, 20th, 113th Border Guard Brigades
  • 33rd Special Forces Brigade
  • Thirty commando companies
  • Popular Army:
    • 10 battalions (qati`), 450 fighters each
  • Saif Saad Independent Tank Battalion
  • Hattin, Salah al-Din & Hanin reconnaissance battalions
  • Thirty artillery battalions
  • Iraqi Air Force
  • Iraqi Army Air Corps

References

  • The Iran–Iraq War 1980-1988; Karsh, Efraim; Osprey Publishing; 2002

References

  1. (2015). "The Iran-Iraq War". Harvard University Press, 2015.
  2. Buchan, James. (15 October 2013). "Days of God: The Revolution in Iran and Its Consequences". Simon and Schuster.
  3. (2015-05-25). "آنچه باید درباره عملیات "بیت المقدس" بدانیم +عکس و نقشه".
  4. (2023-05-23). "Liberation of Khorramshahr manifested Iranian combat prowess".
  5. "Khorramshahr Liberation Day: 24 May 1982".
  6. "Untitled Page".
  7. اله, جعفری, فتح. (1 February 2005). "تحلیلی بر عملیات بیت المقدس". فصلنامه تخصصی جنگ ایران و عراق.
  8. (6 June 2011). "مروری بر عملیات بیت المقدس /3".
  9. "::: AJA.ir :::".
  10. "شرح کامل عملیات بیت المقدس".
  11. Woods, Kevin M.. (19 October 2017). "Saddam's War: An Iraqi Military Perspective of the Iran-Iraq War". Institute for National Strategic Studies, National Defense University.
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