Around 180,000 Iranian troops participated in this offensive, which targeted the central front in the region of Mehran.

[5] However, withering Iraqi firepower in support of deeply entrenched troops slaughtered the advancing Iranians.

The Iraqis struck back by emerging from their trenches to counterattack into Iran and capture Mehran, for the second time.

[6] It was launched in February 1983 and was described by Speaker Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani as the final move towards ending the Iran-Iraq war.

[7] The first campaign was concentrated in the Hawizeh marsh area and in the Haj Omran during the Operation Dawn 2.