Operation Ramadan

Overview

Operation Ramadan was an Iranian offensive in the Iran–Iraq War that consisted of three separate attacks that lasted for 6 weeks. It was launched by Iran on 13 July 1982 near Basra and featured the use of human wave attacks in the largest land battle since World War II. The engagement was a part of the overall stalemate.

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

Significance

Operation Ramadan was an Iranian offensive launched near Basra in July 1982 during the Iran–Iraq War, consisting of three separate attacks sustained over six weeks. Described as the largest land battle since World War II by scale of forces engaged, it drew between 90,000 and 150,000 Iranian troops against an Iraqi force of 80,000 to 100,000. Combined casualties exceeded 17,000, with Iran sustaining roughly 12,000 and Iraq approximately 5,000. Despite the scale of the operation, the engagement did not produce a decisive shift; it formed part of the broader stalemate that characterized the war's middle phase. The offensive demonstrated Iran's willingness to absorb heavy losses in pursuit of territorial objectives near Basra, while Iraq's ability to absorb the assault without collapse indicated the durability of its defensive posture along that axis.

Tactics

Forces & casualties

Commanders (5)