Operation Praying Mantis

Overview

Operation Praying Mantis was the 18 April 1988 attack by the United States on Iranian naval targets in the Persian Gulf in retaliation for the mining of a U.S. warship four days earlier. It took place during the US presidency of Ronald Reagan and the rule of Supreme Leader of Iran Ruhollah Khomeini.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

Operation Praying Mantis was a direct U.S. military response to the mining of an American warship in the Persian Gulf four days earlier. Conducted on April 18, 1988, during the presidency of Ronald Reagan and the rule of Iranian Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini, the operation targeted Iranian naval assets and resulted in approximately 300 Iranian casualties. The action represented one of the most significant direct military engagements between the United States and Iran during the broader Iran–Iraq War period, demonstrating U.S. willingness to use force in defense of freedom of navigation in the Gulf. Its execution under two principal commanders — Rear Adm. Anthony A. Less on the American side and Mohammad-Hossein Malekzadegan on the Iranian side — underscored the operational scale of the confrontation.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (2)