Operation Samen-ol-A'emeh

On 22 September 1981, Iran began their first successful offensive against Iraq, in order to break the Siege of Abadan. The attack began with a diversionary operation.{{Cite book |last=Ward |first=Steven R. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MOuVAgAAQBAJ&dq=diversionary+operation+siege+of+abadan&pg=PA255 |title=Immortal, Updated Edition: A Military History of Iran and Its Armed Forces |date=2014-01-08 |publisher=Georgetown University Press |isbn=978-1-62616-032-3 |language=en}}{{Rp|page=255|quote="Aided by deception campaign and divisionary attacks..."}} A combined arms force of 30,000–40,000 troops attacked the Iraqi forces in a wide front around the Karkheh river in Khuzestan province, Iran, aiming for the road towards Basra, Iraq. The Iranians used their regular army supported by Revolutionary Guard{{cite web |title=سالروز شکست حصر آبادان در عملیات ثامن‌الائمه(ع) |url=https://www.isna.ir/news/95070502190 |website=Isna |date=26 September 2016 |access-date=26 September 2016}} infantry, the former using small groups of armored vehicles with full artillery and air support (the Iranians succeeded in establishing air superiority in spite of limited numbers of aircraft and lack of spare parts). The operation convinced Iraq that Basra was under attack, consequently, they did not reinforce their troops surrounding Abadan.{{Cite journal |last=Jedi |first=Sayyed Majid |date=1995 |title=The primary revolution of imposed war: the preludes to formation of Same al-Ae'ma operation |url=http://noo.rs/0bOOm |journal=Defense Policy |language=fa |volume= |issue=12 |pages=1–25}}

Two days later, Iran began to carry out their main offensive against Abadan. During the night, the Iranians infiltrated a force of 20,000–30,000 troops across the Bahmanshir River towards the Iraqi forces on the east bank of the Karun River around Abadan. The Iraqis failed to carry out adequate reconnaissance to discover the infiltration. The main attack was preceded by the Iranian air force carrying out airstrikes against the Iraqi troops between the Bahmanshir and the east bank of the Karun. Due to Iranian air superiority, the Iranians drove the counterattacking Iraqi jets away.

On September 26, around midnight, the Iranian surprised the Iraqi army by attacking them from three sides.{{Rp|page=255|quote="Aided by deception campaign and divisionary attacks..."}} The Iraqis were pinned down in their strongest positions, while their weakest positions were torn through, resulting in the isolation of many Iraqi forces. Iraq failed to maneuver their forces against the Iranians, and they stood in their static positions. An Iranian armored battalion cut the enemy forces in two, while AH-1J SeaCobra helicopters destroyed numerous Iraqi tanks using TOW missiles. Meanwhile, the siege of Abadan was broken, yet many Iraqi forces remained on the east bank of the Karun River, prevented from retreating after the Iranian air force bombed the bridges across the Karun River.

The next phase of the battle came when the Iranians unleashed their 92nd Armored Division on the north side of the Iraqi positions on September 27. The Iraqi command had been driven into a panic and attempted a tactical withdrawal, which turned into a rout. The Iraqis abandoned their heavy weaponry, and fled across the river on a makeshift pontoon bridge and rafts.{{cite news |last1=Veisi |first1=Morad |title=ایران و عراق در جنگ چه مناطقی از خاک یکدیگر را اشغال کردند؟ (Persian) |url=http://www.bbc.com/persian/iran-features-44846410 |newspaper=BBC News فارسی |access-date=18 July 2018}}

The victory at Abadan was an important morale booster for Iran, and an important stepping stone for the eventual ejection of the Iraqis out of Iran.{{cite web |title=سه عملیات سرنوشت ساز (Persian) |url=http://www.irna.ir/fa/News/82243765 |website=IRNA |access-date=26 September 2016}} As a result of the victorious operation, the critical road of Ahvaz - Abadan road was reopened, allowing logistic support and reinforcement for the troops in Abadan. With a carefully planned operation and well-executed use of their available materials, the Iranians routed a theoretically superior opponent.{{cite web |title=مروری بر چند عملیات‌ بزرگ و تعیین‌کننده در دفاع مقدس |url=https://www.isna.ir/news/92063119307 |website=ISNA |date=22 September 2013 |access-date=22 September 2013}}

After the operation, a large number of tanks and heavy vehicles were left by the Iraqi army.{{Rp|page=75}}

Saddam Hussein ordered the execution of seven commanders after the operation, including General Juwad Shitnah.

• Operation Commander-in-Chief
• Siege of Abadan

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Iran–Iraq War}}

{{coord missing|Khuzestan Province}}

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Category:Military operations of the Iran–Iraq War in 1981

Category:History of Khuzestan province

Category:Abadan, Iran

Category:Tank battles of the Iran–Iraq War

Category:Iranian airstrikes during the Iran–Iraq War

Category:Airstrikes in Iran during the Iran–Iraq War

Category:September 1981 in Asia