From January to June 2007, in conjunction with the U.S. military's troop surge strategy, an additional five U.S. brigades were deployed to Iraq, with their primary focus on the Baghdad Belts—a series of key areas surrounding the Iraqi capital.

This deployment was a critical part of the preparation for Operation Phantom Thunder, a major offensive aimed at stabilizing Baghdad and its surrounding regions by targeting insurgent strongholds.

These operations involved disrupting enemy movements, securing key terrain, and gathering intelligence, all of which were essential to the success of the upcoming main assault.

[12] The establishment of this command was a pivotal step in enabling the integration of Iraqi and coalition forces, thereby improving the effectiveness of the broader counterinsurgency efforts during Operation Phantom Thunder.

This operation marked a significant escalation in coalition and Iraqi efforts to regain control of insurgent-dominated areas and restore stability to Iraq during a critical phase of the conflict.

U.S. and Iraqi forces launched attacks on Baghdad's northern and southern flanks mid-June to clear out Sunni insurgents, al-Qaida fighters and Shiite militiamen who had fled the capital and Anbar during the four-month-old security operation.

Operation Marne Torch began on 16 June in the Arab Jabour and Salman Pak area, conducted by the new Multinational Division Central.

In the western Al Anbar province operations attacked insurgent supply lines and weapons caches, targeting the regions of Fallujah, Karma and Tharthar.

Coalition and Iraqi security forces pushed into areas previously not under their control, and they also ejected insurgent groups from their strongholds in Northern Babil, eastern Anbar and Diyala provinces and on the southern outskirts of Baghdad.