In the previous program we talked about Kheibar operation. This was the first amphibious operation in such a wide level. For this reason, Kheibar operation gained special status in the internal, regional, and global developments.

As Gholamali Rashid, an IRGC senior commander said in an interview: "Kheibar operation can be considered a turning point in the history of 8-year war of Iraq against Iran. Kheibar operation as a development put its impact on the war, both tactics and strategy. Kheibar was the starting point of the development that affected Badr, Val-Fajr 8, and Karbala 4 operations, and even the great Karbala 5 operation. Had there not been Kheibar operation with those special tactics, we can definitely say that in Val-Fajr 8 operation and the capture of the Faw strategic port, we would not have succeeded either. "

After the seizure of the northern and southern Majnoon islands and the failure to connect the southern Majnoon island to the land, the construction of a 13-kilometer floating bridge between the island and the coast seemed inevitable. The construction of this floating bridge was one of the masterpieces in terms of engineering during the war. On March 23, 1984, AFP described as unprecedented to build such a long makeshift bridge in modern military history. Also the genius and military initiative of Iranian forces in this operation paved the ground for advancing the policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Engineer Behrooz Pursharifi, could design and build a bridge that could be made quickly inside the country by compressing unolit sheets and putting corrugated metal sheets on them. By linking makeshift boxes to each other, a bridge was built which was 13 kilometers long and 4 meters wide. It could tolerate the crossing of light vehicles during the Kheibar operation. Thus, Iranian forces could return after the end of the operation.

Kheibar Bridge was built between the northern Majnoon island and the banks of Hur ul-Hoveizeh. The outstanding feature of this bridge was that it went up and down with the tide of water. On the other hand, if any part of the bridge was damaged by Iraqi planes or artillery fire, it could be immediately repaired and reconstructed. The bridge was built in 8 months in the Iranian factories and was installed within a few days. The transfer of the makeshift pieces of this huge bridge from factories to the operational region was a tough task in itself.

Another measure of Saddam's regime to confront the Iranian forces in Kheibar operation was the use of chemical weapons on a massive scale. The Ba'athist army used chemical weapons as one of the most effective means to encounter infantry forces of Iran. 40 Iranian combatants were martyred and 2,700 were affected as a result of chemical attacks in Kheibar operation. In order to treat the gassed combatants, Iran sent a number of them to Austria and Sweden. This jolted the western news circles to show reaction to Iraq's crimes. Then Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme on March 9, 1984 visited the chemically wounded combatants at a hospital in Stockholm. By probing into the unexploded toxic bombs in the fronts, it was clear that the chemical weapons were made by the Soviet Union. 

After Kheibar operation, the Ba'athist army continued to use the internationally banned weapons in every operation and the volume and variety of chemical gases increased as the UN and its affiliate organs turned a blind eye and deaf ear to the crimes of the regime in Baghdad. After the use of chemical weapons by Iraq, on the invitation of the Islamic Republic, a UN delegation of experts traveled to Iran on March 13, 1984. Having probed into the issue, without mentioning the name of Iraq, on March 27, 1984 they confirmed the use of chemical bombs against Iranian forces during Kheibar operation. As if some creatures from other planets had come and gassed Iranian combatants!!!

Then UN Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar, while offering the experts' report to the Security Council made himself content just to say, "The calculations of all board members confirm claims related to the use of chemical weapons, and I have nothing to say, except to express my regret." You see that there was no mention of who had raised the claim against whom!!!

Reuters, quoting from informed diplomats in Tehran, wrote on March 27, 1984 that the use of nerve agent was confirmed. Diplomats had told Reuters that the gas had been accomplished and applied by Nazi Germany during the Second World War and has terrible and painful effects. They said it seems that Iraq has resorted to wide use of sulfur, mustard and nerve gas concurrent with the advance of Iranian combatants in the operational area. At that time, the UN Security Council should have condemned the Iraqi regime for violating the Geneva Protocol 1925 which prohibits the use of chemical weapons, but this never happened. The five self-imposed permanent members of the Security Council fully supported Saddam's regime as they themselves had equipped him with internationally banned weapons.

Kheibar operation could not achieve its main goal of closing Basra-Amara road. But during a retreat from the east of the Tigris in a three-week tough battle, a region along the northern and southern Majnoon islands with vast oil reserves was seized. The two islands had an area of 160 square kilometers. The 23 units of the enemy were destroyed or largely damaged. Some 15000 of Iraqis were killed or wounded, and 1300 of them were captured by Iranian combatants, with 40 senior commanders among them. An Iraqi fighter was also shot down. Three helicopters, 150 tanks and personnel carriers and 200 vehicles from the Iraqi army were destroyed, and 42 tanks and personnel carriers, 120 dumpers and a number of anti-aircraft guns, mortar launchers, loaders and bulldozers were also captured. Further, 50 Iraqi oil wells in Majnoon islands were overtaken by Iranian combatants, with an estimate of 7 billion barrels of oil reserves.

Kheibar operation had great achievements. This operation proved the maturity of military thinking in the IRGC. It promoted the level of military operations of the IRGC from ground to amphibious. The change in the tactical and operational thinking of the IRGC through Kheibar operation led to preparation of next operations, including Badr and Faw, resulting in the growth and maturity of military thinking. The operation also led to a major shift in defense industries to produce engineering equipment, as well as the construction of frigates. The victory in Kheibar operation once more raised doubts about the capability of the Ba'athist army. The Ba'athist army was forced to set up its sixth army division in wetland after receiving the crushing blow by Iran.

As Saddam received a crushing blow in Kheibar operation, he started dropping chemical bombs and missiles on Iranian cities and villages. After seven days of Kheibar operation, the city of Khoramabad was targeted by two surface to surface missiles as a result of which 50 civilians were martyred and 225 others, mostly women and children, were injured. On the same day, Borujerd was targeted by two missiles as a result of which 29 people were martyred and 120 others were injured. The cities of Koohdasht, Saqqez, Mahabad, Islamabad-e Gharb, Gilan-e Gharb, and Kermanshah were targeted by bombs and missiles, where hundreds of civilians were martyred and injured.

After Kheibar operation, economic pressure and sanctions on arms sales were further aggravated against Iran. In the meantime, the Islamic Republic mulled new tactics and methods to confront the moves of the enemy and its western and eastern backers. After Iraq's failure to detect unpredicted moves, especially the tactics of the Iranian combatants, Saddam's supporters in the two eastern and western blocs, to prevent the change of military balance, embarked on strengthening Iraq with advanced technology and equipping Saddam's army with more state-of-the-art weapons especially his air force. We will further discuss the issue in the next program.

RM/SS