Strategic analysis of the use of Iraqi aviation during Operation Tawakalna Ala Allah (1988) during the Iran-Iraq War

Operation Tawakalna Ala Allah: military context and strategic objective

Operation Tawakalna Ala Allah, carried out by Iraq in the spring of 1988, was one of the final offensives of the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988). This coordinated land and air maneuver took place on the southern front, in the al-Faw region, where the Iranian army had been firmly established since 1986. The Iraqi objective was clear: to retake the occupied territories and impose tactical superiority with a view to a favorable end to the conflict.

The strategic context was tense. After eight years of attritional warfare, Baghdad had to reverse the balance of power. The operation was based on a combined warfare doctrine: mechanized ground attack, massive artillery support, and integrated tactical aviation from the outset. The Iraqi air force – Al Quwwat al-Jawwiyya al-‘Iraqiyya – played a central role in the success of this offensive, mobilizing significant resources and unprecedented coordination.

The operational objective was not limited to a simple reconquest of the terrain. It was a question of inflicting decisive losses on the Iranian army, disrupting its logistical system and preventing any rapid counter-offensive. This type of combined operation heralded a change in the Iran-Iraq war, with increased militarization of tactical aviation in ground maneuvers.

The tactical results of Operation Tawakalna Ala Allah marked a turning point. For the first time since 1986, Iranian forces were forced into an orderly retreat, leaving behind a large amount of heavy equipment, including tanks, artillery pieces and ammunition depots. The coordinated use of fighter planes in this operation allowed Iraq to demonstrate a capacity for structured offensive action, which was part of the last phase of the Iran-Iraq war.

The use of Iraqi fighter planes during the offensive

The Iraqi air force mobilized more than 250 sorties per day during Operation Tawakalna Ala Allah. This intensity was made possible by the coordinated engagement of several types of aircraft. At that time, Iraq had a diverse fleet of aircraft, mainly from the Soviet Union and France, divided into several categories of missions: ground support, interception, bombing and reconnaissance.

Tactical support aircraft

Su-22M Fitter aircraft were used extensively for ground support. Capable of carrying up to 4,000 kg of bombs, rockets and air-to-ground missiles, they operated on average between 80 and 100 sorties daily. Their main mission: to neutralize Iranian artillery positions, strike supply lines and support T-72 and BMP-1 tanks on the ground.

The Mirage F1EQs, equipped with smooth bombs and ATLIS laser guidance pods, played an essential role in precision strikes, particularly on Iranian bridges, logistics depots and radar positions. These aircraft were also used for deep bombing missions up to 200 km behind enemy lines.

Air superiority missions

The MiG-23ML and MiG-25PDS provided air cover, intercepting the few attempts by the Iranian F-4E Phantom IIs to react. Although Iranian fighter planes were weakened at that time, a few duels were reported over Basra. The MiG-25s were used at high altitude to discourage any enemy reconnaissance.

Iraq also had MiG-29As, delivered by the USSR in 1987. Their direct impact during this operation remained marginal, as these aircraft were still in the integration phase. However, their presence acted as a deterrent in the regional air force hierarchy.

Electronic support and coordination

Modified MiG-21MFs were deployed with jamming pods to disrupt enemy communications. In addition, the Iraqi Air Force had improved its combined arms coordination through liaison officers embedded in mechanized ground units. This enabled effective synchronization of air strikes with armored division advances.

The air force’s ability to maintain a sustained pace relied on well-prepared operational infrastructure. The al-Rasheed and Qayyarah bases had been reinforced to support a high rotation rate. Each fighter plane was fully rearmed in less than 40 minutes, thanks to logistics teams trained to Soviet standards.

Strategic assessment and consequences for the Iran-Iraq war

Operation Tawakalna Ala Allah enabled Iraq to regain control of the al-Faw peninsula. More than 9,000 Iranian soldiers were captured. The equipment seized is estimated at 300 tanks, 400 artillery pieces and several thousand tons of ammunition. These figures confirm the direct impact of air superiority on the operation.

The role of combat aviation was not secondary. Coordinated strikes neutralized Iranian SAM batteries, cut supply lines and ensured tactical superiority across the entire southern front. This operation was followed by other similar offensives until mid-July 1988, when Iran accepted the ceasefire based on UN Resolution 598.

The success of the operation also strengthened Iraqi military doctrine: intensive use of tactical aviation, combined arms coordination, saturation of enemy positions by massive strikes, then rapid exploitation by mechanized units. Aviation served as a tool for psychological crushing as well as operational leverage.

At the same time, this offensive exposed the logistical and doctrinal weaknesses of the Iranian air force. The low availability of the F-5Es, the obsolescence of part of the fleet, the lack of spare parts and the absence of effective electronic support weighed heavily. Iran found itself unable to compete in the air, which affected its ability to resist on the ground.

From an economic point of view, this operation cost several hundred million equivalent euros, particularly in terms of aviation fuel, maintenance and guided munitions. The use of laser-guided bombs imported from France or produced locally was estimated at more than 5,000 units over all the offensives of 1988, with a unit cost exceeding 10,000 euros each.

Finally, on a strategic level, Operation Tawakalna Ala Allah illustrated the intensive and structured use of fighter planes as a force multiplier in a prolonged conventional conflict. Today, it remains a textbook case in the use of regional tactical aviation.

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