January 5 – March 1981 · Khuzestan Theater
January 5 – March 1981
Iraqi forces attempted to encircle and capture Dezful, a major Iranian city and air base 110 km north of Ahvaz. Iranian regular army units mounted a determined defense, using the terrain of the Zagros foothills to slow Iraq's armored advance. A series of Iranian counterattacks, coordinated between the army and the IRGC, halted the Iraqi offensive. Dezful became a symbol of Iranian resilience — the city endured repeated Scud missile strikes throughout the war but never fell.
Commanders