On the night of March 19, 2003, US Army Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha 551 (ODA 551) from the 5th Special Forces Group was infiltrated via three MH-47Es accompanied by MH-60L DAP (Direct Action Penetrators) into an area 100 km from the Karbala Gap to provide eyes-on surveillance of the Gap, the mission became the longest in Green Beret history.

However, the Coalition had since the beginning of March been conducting a strategic deception operation to convince the Iraqis that the US 4th Infantry Division would be mounting a major assault into northern Iraq from Turkey.

[9] This deception plan worked, and on 2 April Saddam's son Qusay Hussein declared that the American invasion from the south was a feint and ordered troops to be re-deployed from the Karbala front to the north of Baghdad.

Hamdani later said that his units were not in condition to launch an immediate counterattack and that he counseled to establish a defensive line along the Usfiyah River in order to contain the American breakthrough.

[11] Nevertheless, the Iraqi counterattacks had caused enough confusion and Captain Edward Korn was reported killed on 3 April in the Karbala Gap by friendly fire.

The interchange was defended by dismounted infantry, and during the fight for Objective Saints one US soldier was wounded and an M1 Abrams tank was disabled by an RPG round (it was later repaired).

Despite the survival of many of their vehicles, the Iraqi defense was un-coordinated and many troops put on civilian clothes and deserted during the fight, leaving their uniforms on the battlefield.

[1] The Battle of the Karbala Gap had been a one-sided engagement in which elements of the 3rd Infantry Division annihilated the best units in the Republican Guard while suffering minimal losses.