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Operation Martyr Soleimani
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Operation Martyr Soleimani
On 8 January 2020, in a military operation code named Operation Martyr Soleimani (Persian: عملیات شهید سلیمانی), Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched over 12 ballistic missiles at the al-Asad Airbase in Al Anbar Governorate, western Iraq, as well as another airbase in Erbil, in response to the assassination of Major General Qasem Soleimani by a United States drone strike.
The strike was the largest ballistic missile attack ever against U.S. forces abroad. Initially, the U.S. was not willing to concede the seriousness of the attack. While it initially assessed that none of its service members were injured or killed, the U.S. Department of Defense ultimately said that 110 service members had been diagnosed and treated for traumatic brain injuries (mainly concussions) from the attack. Some of them were later awarded the Purple Heart.
Iran reportedly informed the Iraqi government of an imminent attack shortly beforehand. The United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the attack was intended to kill, however some analysts suggested the strike was deliberately designed to avoid causing any fatalities in order to dissuade an armed American response. The U.S. said it was able to avoid fatalities because the United States Space Force provided early warning.
In the months following the attack, the U.S. deployed Patriot and other missile defense systems to some of their Iraqi bases. Additionally, the high alert of Iranian forces after the attack may have caused the Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 shootdown.
According to the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, in 2021 Iran had "the largest and most diverse ballistic arsenal in the Middle East, and a substantial inventory of close-range ballistic missiles, short-range ballistic missiles, and medium-range ballistic missiles that can strike targets throughout the region up to 2,000 kilometers (1243 miles) from Iran's borders".
In the lead up to the attacks, Iranian officials had said Iran would retaliate against U.S. forces for the killing of General Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad on 3 January 2020. U.S. President Donald Trump warned that any retaliation would result in the targeting of 52 significant Iranian sites, including cultural ones, by U.S. forces. Reportedly, following the Baghdad strike, U.S. intelligence agencies detected Iran's heightened readiness but it was unclear at the time if they were defensive measures or an indication of a future attack on U.S. forces.
Al-Asad Airbase, located in Al Anbar Governorate, western Iraq, hosted between 1,500 and 2,000 U.S. troops. On 3 December 2019, an Iraqi military statement said five rockets had landed on al-Asad airbase, with no injuries. Later, a "security source" inside al-Asad airbase and a "local official at a nearby town" told Reuters that reports that the airbase was under attack at that time were false. These reports on Twitter temporarily caused a rally of U.S. and Brent crude oil futures.
On 4 January 2020, two rockets hit the Balad Air Base located near Baghdad. Two mortars also hit Baghdad's Green Zone. These attacks resulted in no casualties or damage.
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Operation Martyr Soleimani
On 8 January 2020, in a military operation code named Operation Martyr Soleimani (Persian: عملیات شهید سلیمانی), Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched over 12 ballistic missiles at the al-Asad Airbase in Al Anbar Governorate, western Iraq, as well as another airbase in Erbil, in response to the assassination of Major General Qasem Soleimani by a United States drone strike.
The strike was the largest ballistic missile attack ever against U.S. forces abroad. Initially, the U.S. was not willing to concede the seriousness of the attack. While it initially assessed that none of its service members were injured or killed, the U.S. Department of Defense ultimately said that 110 service members had been diagnosed and treated for traumatic brain injuries (mainly concussions) from the attack. Some of them were later awarded the Purple Heart.
Iran reportedly informed the Iraqi government of an imminent attack shortly beforehand. The United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the attack was intended to kill, however some analysts suggested the strike was deliberately designed to avoid causing any fatalities in order to dissuade an armed American response. The U.S. said it was able to avoid fatalities because the United States Space Force provided early warning.
In the months following the attack, the U.S. deployed Patriot and other missile defense systems to some of their Iraqi bases. Additionally, the high alert of Iranian forces after the attack may have caused the Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 shootdown.
According to the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, in 2021 Iran had "the largest and most diverse ballistic arsenal in the Middle East, and a substantial inventory of close-range ballistic missiles, short-range ballistic missiles, and medium-range ballistic missiles that can strike targets throughout the region up to 2,000 kilometers (1243 miles) from Iran's borders".
In the lead up to the attacks, Iranian officials had said Iran would retaliate against U.S. forces for the killing of General Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad on 3 January 2020. U.S. President Donald Trump warned that any retaliation would result in the targeting of 52 significant Iranian sites, including cultural ones, by U.S. forces. Reportedly, following the Baghdad strike, U.S. intelligence agencies detected Iran's heightened readiness but it was unclear at the time if they were defensive measures or an indication of a future attack on U.S. forces.
Al-Asad Airbase, located in Al Anbar Governorate, western Iraq, hosted between 1,500 and 2,000 U.S. troops. On 3 December 2019, an Iraqi military statement said five rockets had landed on al-Asad airbase, with no injuries. Later, a "security source" inside al-Asad airbase and a "local official at a nearby town" told Reuters that reports that the airbase was under attack at that time were false. These reports on Twitter temporarily caused a rally of U.S. and Brent crude oil futures.
On 4 January 2020, two rockets hit the Balad Air Base located near Baghdad. Two mortars also hit Baghdad's Green Zone. These attacks resulted in no casualties or damage.
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