[4] Launched only 3 hours after the formal beginning of the war,[5] the main attack was formed by 140 to 148 Iranian fighter-bombers, plus 60 interceptors and tankers were involved in this operation, and at least 380 air force personnel were also involved, making this the most large-scale operation conducted by the Iranian Air Force.

At 1:45 pm local time, 6 Iraqi MiG-23 Floggers bombed an Iranian Air Base near Ahvaz.

[2] However, having learned from the Six-Day War, Iran had built hardened aircraft shelters where most of its combat aircraft were stored, thus the Iraqis succeeded mainly in cratering Iranian runways (which were quickly repaired), without causing any significant damage to Iran's Air Force.

After refueling in mid-air the Phantoms reached the Iraqi capital Baghdad, where they attacked al-Rasheed, Habbaniyah and Kut airbases.

[11] Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi military were dealt a heavy blow when Iranian Air Force vulnerabilities failed to materialize.

[citation needed] The Iranians on the other hand had taken heavy losses as well, as up to 67 aircraft had been shot down during the operation over Iraqi airspace by a combination of AAA, SAM, and Air defense fighters.