Editing Iran–Iraq War (section)

====Operation Ramadan (First Battle of Basra)====

The Iranian generals wanted to launch an all-out attack on Baghdad and seize it while the Iranian army's supplies allowed for such an offensive. This was rejected as being impracticable<ref name=Viewpoints /> and the decision was made to capture one area of Iraq after the other, with the hope that this would force Iraq to withdraw from disputed border territories and begin negotiations to end the war.<ref name=Viewpoints />

On 13 July 1982, Iran began attacking southern Iraq, near Basra.<ref name=efraimkarsh /> Called [[Operation Ramadan]], the assault involved over 180,000 men from both sides, and was one of the largest land battles since [[World War II]].<ref name=iranchamber-iraniraqwar />{{rp|3|date=November 2012}} Iranian strategy dictated that they launch their primary attack on the weakest point of the Iraqi lines. However, the Iraqis were informed of Iran's battle plans and moved all of their forces to the area the Iranians planned to attack.<ref name="cooper03_214" /> The Iraqis were equipped with [[tear gas]] to use against the enemy, which was the first major use of chemical warfare during the conflict, throwing an entire attacking division into chaos.<ref name="Dunn 1998" />

[[File:Children In iraq-iran war4.jpg|thumb|95,000 Iranian child soldiers were casualties during the Iran–Iraq War, mostly between the ages of 16 and 17, with a few younger.<ref name=jupp88>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/19/opinion/l-child-soldier-treaty-has-wide-support-697888.html?src=pm|title=Child-Soldier Treaty Has Wide Support|newspaper=The New York Times|date=19 December 1988|last=Jupp|first=Michael|access-date=9 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180915101716/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/19/opinion/l-child-soldier-treaty-has-wide-support-697888.html?src=pm|archive-date=15 September 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Special to The Christian Science Monitor|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/1985/0807/opas.html|title=Giving one's life to the cause of Islam and Iran. Guarding the revolution's Islamic standards|newspaper=The Christian Science Monitor|access-date=5 October 2013|date=7 August 1985|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131007043821/http://www.csmonitor.com/1985/0807/opas.html|archive-date=7 October 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>]]

Over 100,000 Revolutionary Guards and Basij volunteer forces charged towards the Iraqi lines. The Iraqi troops had entrenched themselves in formidable defences and had set up a network of bunkers and artillery positions. The Basij used human waves, and were even used to bodily clear the Iraqi minefields and allow the Revolutionary Guards to advance.<ref name=efraimkarsh /> Combatants came so close to one another that Iranians were able to board Iraqi tanks and throw grenades inside the hulls. By the eighth day, the Iranians had gained {{convert|16|km|mi|abbr=on}} inside Iraq and had taken several causeways. Iran's Revolutionary Guards also used the T-55 tanks they had captured in earlier battles.<ref name=pollack04 />

The attacks came to a halt and the Iranians turned to defensive measures. Seeing this, Iraq used their [[Mi-25]] helicopters, along with [[Gazelle helicopter]]s armed with [[Euromissile HOT]], against columns of Iranian mechanised infantry and tanks. These "hunter-killer" teams of helicopters, which had been formed with the help of [[East Germany|East German]] advisors, proved very costly for the Iranians. Aerial dogfights occurred between Iraqi MiGs and Iranian F-4 Phantoms.<ref name="Dunn 1998">{{cite web|last=Dunn|first=Brian|title=The First Gulf War|url=http://thedignifiedrant.blogspot.com/2009/06/first-gulf-war-iran-and-iraq-at-war-in.html|date=3 June 2009|access-date=23 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116024632/http://thedignifiedrant.blogspot.com/2009/06/first-gulf-war-iran-and-iraq-at-war-in.html|archive-date=16 November 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 16 July, Iran tried again further north and managed to push the Iraqis back. Only {{convert|13|km|mi|abbr=on}} from Basra, the poorly equipped Iranian forces were surrounded on three sides by Iraqis with heavy weaponry. Some were captured, while many were killed. Only a last-minute attack by Iranian AH-1 Cobra helicopters stopped the Iraqis from [[rout]]ing the Iranians.<ref name="cooper03_214" /> Three more similar attacks occurred around the Khorramshahr-Baghdad road area towards the end of the month, but none were significantly successful.<ref name=pollack04 />

Iraq had concentrated three armoured divisions, the 3rd, 9th, and 10th, as a counter-attack force to attack any penetrations. They were successful in defeating the Iranian breakthroughs, but suffered heavy losses. The 9th Armoured Division in particular had to be disbanded, and was never reformed. The total casualty toll had grown to include 80,000 soldiers and civilians. 400 Iranian tanks and armoured vehicles were destroyed or abandoned, while Iraq lost at least 370 tanks.<ref>O'Ballance, E. (1988). ''The Gulf War''. Brassey's. p. 95 {{ISBN?}}</ref><ref>Zabih, S. (1988). ''The Iranian Military in Revolution and War''. New York: Routledge. p. 181 {{ISBN?}}</ref>