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The Iran-Iraq War was an 8-year-long conflict that began on September 22, 1980, when Iraqi armed forces invaded western Iran. Iraq carried out strategic bombing raids against Iranian cities, including Tehran, using aircraft and missiles. One of the biggest air battles in history, Operation Kaman 99, was launched by the Iranian Air Force in retaliation for Iraqi surprise aerial attacks. Iraq's interest in the war may have stemmed from Saddam Hussein's desire to annex the oil-rich Khuzestan Province and become the regional superpower.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Iraq's first attack on Iran | 22 September 1980 |
| Date of the beginning of the Iran-Iraq War | 22 September 1980 |
| Length of the Iran-Iraq War | 8 years |
| Length of the war in conventional terms | 8 years |
| Total length of the war | 10 years |
| Iraqi leader during the war | Saddam Hussein |
| Iranian leader during the war | Ruhollah Khomeini |
| Iraqi goal | Annexation of Khuzestan, regional hegemony |
| Iranian goal | Overthrow of Saddam Hussein |
| Iraqi allies | Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, other Arab states, US, USSR |
| Iranian allies | Syria, Libya |
| Iraqi aircraft used | Tu-22 Blinder, Tu-16 Badger, MiG-25 Foxbat, Su-22 Fitter |
| Iranian aircraft used | F-4 Phantoms, F-5E Tiger IIs, F-14 Tomcats |
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What You'll Learn
- The Iran-Iraq War began on September 22, 1980, with Iraq invading western Iran
- Iraq's air force carried out strategic bombing raids on Iranian cities, including Tehran
- Iranian aircraft flew low to avoid power cables, and a billboard was hooked on the tail of an F-4
- Iraq's invasion was motivated by a desire to annex the oil-rich Khuzestan Province
- The war included strikes on over 100 oil tankers, known as the Tanker War
The Iran-Iraq War began on September 22, 1980, with Iraq invading western Iran
The Iran-Iraq War, also known as the First Gulf War, was an armed conflict between Iran and Iraq that lasted from September 1980 to August 1988. The conflict was fuelled by territorial, religious, and political disputes. Open warfare began on 22 September 1980, when Iraqi armed forces invaded western Iran along their shared border. However, Iraq claimed that the conflict had begun earlier, on 4 September, when Iran allegedly shelled several border posts.
On 22 September, Iraqi air forces launched surprise air strikes on ten Iranian airfields, intending to destroy the Iranian Air Force. The attack failed to cripple Iran's air force, only damaging some of its airbase infrastructure. The next day, Iraq launched a ground invasion, mounting three simultaneous attacks along a 644 km (400 mi) front. Of Iraq's six divisions that invaded by ground, four were sent to Khuzestan, a border region with valuable oil resources, to cut off the Shatt al-Arab. Two divisions invaded across the northern and central parts of the border to prevent an Iranian counter-attack.
The Iraqi invasion force included one mechanised and one armoured division, which besieged the strategically important port cities of Abadan and Khorramshahr. The two armoured divisions secured the territory bounded by the cities of Khorramshahr, Ahvaz, Susangerd, and Musian. On the central front, the Iraqis advanced towards the foothills of the Zagros Mountains and blocked the traditional Tehran-Baghdad invasion route by securing territory forward of Qasr-e Shirin, Iran. On the northern front, the Iraqis established a strong defensive position opposite Suleimaniya to protect the Iraqi Kirkuk oil complex. Despite Iraq's sophisticated weaponry and better-trained officers, the invasion stalled by December 1980, due to strong Iranian resistance.
Throughout the war, Iraq launched systematic strategic bombing campaigns against Iranian cities, including Tehran. With support from the USSR and the West, Iraq's air force carried out long-range, high-speed raids on Iranian cities, using Tu-22 Blinder and Tu-16 Badger strategic bombers. Iraq also used fighter-bombers such as the MiG-25 Foxbat and Su-22 Fitter for smaller or shorter-range targets. In response, Iran launched Scud missiles purchased from Libya. The conflict ended in a stalemate and a cease-fire in August 1988, with both sides suffering hundreds of thousands of casualties.
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Iraq's air force carried out strategic bombing raids on Iranian cities, including Tehran
The Iran-Iraq War, which began in September 1980, saw Iraqi forces carry out strategic bombing raids on Iranian cities, including Tehran. The conflict was prolonged and bloody, lasting eight years and resulting in close to a million casualties.
The war began on 22 September 1980, when Iraqi armed forces invaded western Iran along the countries' joint border. Iraq, however, claimed that the war had started earlier, on 4 September, when Iran shelled several border posts. The mountainous border between the two countries made a deep ground invasion almost impossible, so both nations relied heavily on air strikes and missile attacks.
Iraq's air force carried out systematic strategic bombing raids on Iranian cities, including Tehran, using Tu-22 Blinder and Tu-16 Badger strategic bombers for long-range, high-speed raids. Fighter-bombers such as the MiG-25 Foxbat and Su-22 Fitter were used against smaller or shorter-range targets and to escort the strategic bombers. These raids targeted civilian and industrial areas, inflicting economic damage and causing many casualties.
On 22 and 23 September 1980, Iraq launched surprise air strikes on strategic locations in Iran, employing a total of 166 to 192 fighter and bomber aircraft for 250 sorties. Iraqi MiG-23 Floggers bombed an Iranian Air Base near Ahvaz and, half an hour later, attacked Mehrabad Airport in Tehran. At the same time, the Iraqis bombed eight other major air bases in Iran.
In response to these raids, Iran launched counter-attacks, including Operation Kaman 99, which saw Iranian aircraft take off from Hamadan Air Base and Tehran's Mehrabad Airport to bomb several Iraqi air bases.
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Iranian aircraft flew low to avoid power cables, and a billboard was hooked on the tail of an F-4
During the Iran-Iraq War, which began in September 1980, Iranian aircraft flew low to avoid power cables and Iraqi air defences. In one notable incident, an Iranian F-4 Phantom fighter jet flew so low that a billboard was hooked on its tail. This incident occurred during Operation Kaman 99, a large-scale Iranian counter-attack in response to Iraqi aerial strikes on Iranian airfields and cities, including Tehran.
The Iran-Iraq War was a prolonged and bloody conflict that lasted from 1980 to 1988 and resulted in significant casualties and destruction in both countries. The war began when Iraqi armed forces invaded western Iran along the countries' joint border. Iraq, however, claimed that the war had started earlier, on September 4, 1980, when Iran shelled several border posts.
Throughout the war, both countries engaged in frequent air and missile attacks on each other's cities, military installations, and oil infrastructure. The Iraqi Air Force, with support from the USSR and the West, carried out strategic bombing raids on Iranian cities, including Tehran. The Iranians also targeted Iraqi airfields and cities in retaliation.
One of the most significant aerial operations of the war was Operation Kaman 99, launched by the Iranian Air Force on September 23, 1980. This operation involved nearly 200 aircraft and is considered the largest conducted by the IRIAF. Iranian F-4 Phantoms and F-5 Tiger IIs took off from multiple air bases and attacked several Iraqi air bases, including those in Baghdad.
During Operation Kaman 99, Iranian aircraft flew at extremely low altitudes to avoid detection and air defences. This tactic, however, came with its own risks. In one incident, an Iranian F-4 Phantom flew so low that a billboard on the outskirts of Basra became hooked on its tail. This incident demonstrates the extreme measures taken by Iranian pilots to avoid detection and the challenges they faced during their missions.
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Iraq's invasion was motivated by a desire to annex the oil-rich Khuzestan Province
The Iran-Iraq War was a prolonged and brutal military conflict that began on September 22, 1980, when Iraqi armed forces invaded western Iran. The war was the culmination of long-running territorial border disputes between the two states, specifically regarding control of the Shatt al-Arab waterway. However, Iraq's invasion was also motivated by a desire to annex the oil-rich Khuzestan Province, which was located near the border's southern end.
Khuzestan, with its large ethnic Arab population, was strategically important. Its annexation would have enlarged Iraq's petroleum reserves, making it the region's dominant power. Annexing the province would also allow Saddam Hussein to pose as a liberator of Arabs from Persian rule, increasing his country's prestige and power in the Arab world. Indeed, Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, despite being hostile to Iraq, encouraged the invasion as they feared an Islamic revolution within their borders.
In the lead-up to the war, Iraq had deduced that Iran's defences at the crossing points of the Karkheh and Karoun Rivers were weak and that the rivers could be easily crossed. Iraqi intelligence also revealed that the Iranian forces in Khuzestan Province were ill-equipped and undermanned. This presented an opportunity for Iraq to invade Khuzestan and cut it off from the rest of Iran, establishing a territorial security zone. Of Iraq's six divisions that invaded by land, four were sent to Khuzestan to achieve this objective.
However, Iraq's hopes of an uprising by the Arabs of Khuzestan failed to materialise, as most of the Arabs remained loyal to Iran. By December 1980, the Iraqi invasion had stalled, and the Iranian military began to regain lost territory. Despite Iraq's initial advantage and use of chemical weapons, by 1982, Iranian forces had successfully driven the Iraqi army back into Iraq. The war ultimately ended in August 1988, with neither side achieving their objectives.
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The war included strikes on over 100 oil tankers, known as the Tanker War
The Iran-Iraq War, which began in 1980, included a series of strikes on over 100 oil tankers, an aspect of the conflict known as the Tanker War. This war within a war started in 1981 when Iraq initiated attacks on ships travelling to or from Iranian ports in the northern Gulf. These attacks continued into 1984, with Iraq targeting the oil terminal and tankers at Kharg Island, a vital Iranian oil shipment port. In March 1984, Iran began retaliating, and the tanker war became a two-way affair.
The Tanker War was part of a broader strategy by Iraq to exert economic pressure on Iran. By attacking Iranian oil supply lines, Iraq sought to force an Iranian escalation that would lead to international intervention and protect maritime freedom. This strategy proved successful, with the United States intervening in 1986 to protect Kuwaiti tankers and ensure the flow of oil from the region. The US also reflagged Kuwaiti tankers as American, providing them with the protection of the US Navy.
The Tanker War resulted in significant casualties and damage. By the end of 1987, Iraq had conducted 283 attacks on shipping, while Iran had attacked 168 times. These attacks killed 116 merchant sailors, with 37 missing and 167 wounded. Over 30 million tons of cargo were damaged between 1981 and 1987, severely impacting the oil-exporting capacity and economic development of both nations.
The conflict also saw the use of advanced weaponry and tactics. Iraq employed Mig 23s, Mirage F-1s, and Super Frelon helicopters armed with Exocet anti-ship cruise missiles. Iran, meanwhile, used machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, wire-guided anti-tank missiles, and Maverick missiles fired by F-4 Phantom fighters. The Tanker War also led to clashes between US and Iranian forces, including the accidental shooting down of an Iranian civilian airliner.
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Frequently asked questions
The Iran-Iraq War began on September 22, 1980, when Iraqi armed forces invaded western Iran along the countries' joint border.
The war was sparked by Saddam Hussein's desire to annex the oil-rich Khuzestan Province and become the regional superpower.
The war ended in a stalemate, with Iraqi troops unable to advance further into Iran and Iranian troops unable to break through Iraqi defenses.
The war lasted eight years and resulted in close to one million casualties, including deaths and injuries.
The war received international support, with Iraq being openly financed by Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and other neighboring Arab states, and tacitly supported by the United States and the Soviet Union. Iran's only major allies were Syria and Libya.
