Operation Dawn 5

{{Infobox military conflict

|conflict=Operation Dawn V

|partof=Iran–Iraq War

|image=Shatt al arab.png

|image_size=200px

|caption=

|date=16–20 February 1984{{cite book |last1=Razoux |first1=Pierre |title=The Iran-Iraq War |date=2015 |publisher=Harvard University Press, 2015 |isbn=978-0674915718 |page=262 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FGsuCwAAQBAJ}}
(5 days)

|place=Basra, Southeast Iraq

|casus=Iranian invasion of Iraq

|territory=Iraq holds on to the city of Basra

|result=Iraqi victory

• Minor tactical Iranian success (Iran fails their objective but makes small gains over useless land)
• Defensive Iraqi success (Iraq holds on to the city of Basra)

|combatant1={{flagcountry|Ba'athist Iraq}}

|combatant2={{flagcountry|Iran|1980}}

|combatant3=

|commander1=

|commander2=

|commander3=

|strength1=2 Army Corps (approx; 90,000–100,000 soldiers)

|strength2=100,000–150,000 Pasdaran and Basij

|strength3=

|casualties1=25,000

|casualties2=50,000

|casualties3=

|notes=

}}

{{Campaignbox Iran-Iraq War}}

As 1984 began, Iran launched the largest offensive up to that date Operation Dawn V, also known as Operation Dawn 5 or Operation Valfajr-5 (Persian). The goal of the offensive was to split the Iraqi 4th Army Corps and 6th Army Corps between Basra and Qurna, and if successful, move on the suburbs or even the city of Basra itself. It was fought between the Pasdaran, Basij and the Iraqi Army. In the early phase, a force of an estimated 100,000-150,000 Pasdaran and Basij, using small motorboats and then on foot moved towards the objective, then attacked using human wave tactics and in places came within a few kilometers of the strategic Basra–Baghdad highway. However the Iranians lacked artillery, air support and armored protection, while the Iraqis were well equipped and entrenched in strong fortified positions.{{cite web|url=http://www.iranian.ws/iran-online/iran-iraq_war/1984-1987.htm|title=iranian.ws - Iranian Resources and Information.|publisher=|access-date=2009-08-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141217033826/http://www.iranian.ws/iran-online/iran-iraq_war/1984-1987.htm|archive-date=2014-12-17|url-status=dead}} The armies inflicted severe casualties on each other and the Iranians failed to achieve their objective. This operation was the biggest of the Dawn operations.