View source for Operation Iron Hammer (Iraq 2003)

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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox military conflict
|conflict=Operation Iron Hammer
|partof=The [[War on Terrorism]],<br/>[[Operation Iraqi Freedom]]
|image=U.S. soldiers from Scout Platoon, HHC, 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division during Operation Iron Hammer in 2003.jpg
|image_size=300px
|caption=Members [[U.S. 1st Armored Division|1st Armored Division]] wait to begin a cordon and search of a Baghdad neighborhood as part of Operation Iron Hammer.
|date= 12 November 2003 – 25 December 2003
|place=[[Baghdad]], Iraq  
|casus=
|territory=
|result=Capture of anti-coalition forces weapons; failure to suppress expanding insurgency
|combatant1={{flagicon|United States}} United States
|combatant2={{flagicon|Iraq|1963}} [[Iraqi insurgency (2003–11)|Iraqi Insurgency]]
|commander1=
|commander2=
|strength1=
|strength2=
|casualties1=None reported
|casualties2=2 killed<br/>3 wounded
|casualties3=None reported
|notes=
}}{{Campaignbox Iraq War}}

'''Operation Iron Hammer''' was a joint operation between the [[United States Army|US Army]], [[United States Air Force|US Air Force]] and [[Iraqi Civil Defense Corps]] with the objective of preventing the staging of weapons by anti-coalition forces, and preemptively destroy enemy operating bases and fighters in [[Baghdad]].<ref name=army>{{cite web|title=Operation Iron Hammer|url=http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/call/thesaurus/toc.asp?id=34973|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101109052618/http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/call/thesaurus/toc.asp?id=34973|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 November 2010|publisher=United States Army|accessdate=6 November 2012}}</ref>

==Launch==
The operation was launched on the night of 12 November 2003<ref name=army/> by elements of the [[United States Army|US Army]]'s [[U.S. 1st Armored Division|1st Armored Division]] who performed cordon-and-search actions in several Baghdad neighborhoods. The operation's first salvo came when [[U.S. 1st Armored Division|1st Armored Division]] soldiers saw [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]] rounds being fired from a van and gave chase,<ref name=foxnews>{{cite web|title=U.S. Forces Launch Operation Iron Hammer|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,102904,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040113004103/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,102904,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 January 2004|publisher=Fox News|accessdate=6 November 2012}}</ref> noting stops it made. An [[AH-64 Apache]]<ref name=scribd>{{cite web|title=Handbook MARINE CORPS INSTITUTE IRAQ:AN INTRODUCTION TO THECOUNTRY AND PEOPLE|url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/36529442/41/Operation-Iron-Hammer|via=Scribd|accessdate=6 November 2012}}</ref> helicopter followed the van and attacked it, killing two suspected anti-coalition fighters and wounding three others. Five others were captured. Soldiers found an 82&nbsp;mm mortar launch tube at one of the van's stops.

==Strikes==
In Operation Iron Hammer the military began preemptively destroying buildings suspected to be bases of operations for anti-coalition forces. The buildings included the former [[Iraqi Republican Guard|Republican Guard]] building, in the western part of the capital near [[Baghdad International Airport]], and a warehouse in southern Baghdad. Both buildings had been used to conduct attacks on U.S. troops and were destroyed by [[AC-130 gunship|AC-130 Spectre gunship]]s and [[M2 Bradley|M2 Bradley fighting vehicles]]. U.S. forces also fired [[artillery]] rounds at two suspected mortar and rocket launch sites, one in western Baghdad and one in eastern Baghdad.

==Conclusion==
At the conclusion of Operation Iron Hammer Coalition forces has conducted 609 patrols in and around Baghdad capturing 33 enemy personnel. Combat actions included two cordon-and-search operations in Baghdad, detaining six people with suspected ties to the [[Fedayeen Saddam]] paramilitary organization and other anti-coalition elements. Another cordon-and-search operation in Baghdad's [[Azamiyah]] section netted 25 enemy personnel, including a former [[Iraqi Republican Guard|Republican Guard]] general, and significant quantities of weapons and ammunition. A joint cordon-and-search operation was also conducted in the [[Abu Ghuraib]] area with the [[Iraqi Civil Defense Corps]].

==Military Units Involved==
;US forces reported to be involved were
*[[U.S. 1st Armored Division|1st Armored Division]]
*[[USS Enterprise (CVN 65)]]

;Iraqi forces reported to be involved were
*[[Iraqi Civil Defense Corps]]

==Casualties==
No casualty figures are available. Please see Wikipage "Casualties of Iraq War" for information on casualty figures for the war in general.

==Next Operations==

Followed [[Operation OK Corral]], followed by [[Operation Eagle Curtain]].
{{Portal|Iraq}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Iraq War}}

{{coord missing|Iraq}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Iron Hammer}}
[[Category:Military operations of the Iraq War involving the United States]]
[[Category:Military operations of the Iraq War in 2003]]
[[Category:2003 in Baghdad]]
[[Category:November 2003 in Iraq]]
[[Category:December 2003 in Iraq]]
[[Category:2003 airstrikes]]
[[Category:Baghdad airstrikes]]
[[Category:Airstrikes conducted by the United States]]
[[Category:2003 building bombings]]
[[Category:Building bombings in Baghdad]]