Operation Dawn V | |||||||||
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Part of Iran–Iraq War | |||||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||||
Iraq | Iran | ||||||||
Strength | |||||||||
2 Army Corps (approx; 90,000-100,000 soldiers) | 500,000 Pasdaran and Basij | ||||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||||
25,000 | 50,000 |
Strategic stalemate
As 1984 began, Iran launched the largest offensive up to that date Operation Dawn V, also known as Operation Dawn 5 or Operation Valfajr-5 (Persian). The goal of the offensive was to split the Iraqi 3rd Army Corps and 4th Army Corps near Basra. It was fought between the Pasdaran, Basij and the Iraqi Army. In the early phase, a force of an estimated 500,000 Pasdaran and Basij, using small boats and then on foot, moved to within a few kilometers of the strategic Basra-Baghdad waterway. The Iranians lacked artillery, air support and armored protection, while the Iraqis were well equipped. The armies inflicted severe casualties on each other and the Iranians failed to achieve their objective. This operation was the biggest of the Dawn operations.