Operation Strike of the Sword

Battle context

Operation Strike of the Sword (also known as Operation Khanjar) was the largest Marine offensive since the Battle of Fallujah in 2004 and represented a major commitment of U.S. ground forces to Helmand province in southern Afghanistan. Deploying approximately 4,000 Marines from the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade alongside 650 Afghan troops and NATO air support, the operation marked a significant escalation of coalition efforts in one of Afghanistan's most contested regions. The offensive also constituted the biggest airlift operation by the Marines since the Vietnam War, underscoring the logistical scale of the push into the Helmand River valley. The operation reflected the broader U.S. strategy of extending Afghan government authority into Taliban-held territory in the south during the early surge period of the war.