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Operation Steel Curtain
Part of the Post-invasion Iraq
U.S. Marine Lcpl. Raphael Hernandez, and Iraqi Army soldiers watch over the surrounding streets from a rooftop in Karabilah, Iraq, during Operation Steel Curtain on November 11, 2005.
Date November 5, 2005–November 22, 2005 Location Husaybah,Karabilah,Ubaydi, Iraq Result U.S. tactical victory
Belligerents
United States New Iraqi Army	Iraqi insurgents al-Qaeda in Iraq
Commanders
Col. J.D. Alford (3/6) Col. S.W. Davis (RCT-2)	Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
Casualties and losses
10 killed, 30 wounded[1]	139 insurgents killed, 256 captured
54 civilians killed

Operation Steel Curtain (Al Hajip Elfulathi) was a military endeavor executed by coalition forces in early November 2005 to reduce the flow of foreign insurgents crossing the border and joining the Iraqi insurgency. The operation was important in that it was the first large scale deployment of the New Iraqi Army. This offensive was part of the larger Operation Sayaid (Hunter), designed to prevent al Qaeda in Iraq from operating in the Euphrates River Valley and throughout Al Anbar and to establish a permanent Iraqi Army presence in the Al Qa’im region.

The Operation

On November 5, Marines from 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines of the United States Marine Corps began their assault on insurgent-held Husaybah, and had cleared the city four days later. Then on November 10 the coalition forces began to attack the city of Karabilah and pursue any insurgents who fled Husaybah. After four more days of fighting in Karabilah, the coalition troops launched another phase of the operation into the city of Ubaydi, an insurgent haven and site of the earlier Operation Matador. The fortified city fell to coalition forces after seven days of fighting, bringing a conclusion to Operation Steel Curtain.

Aftermath

U.S. officials reported that the operation killed 139 insurgents and took 256 more prisoner, and considered it successful. Battle positions were constructed, preventing the insurgency from regaining control of the city. At least 10 U.S. Marines and an unknown number of Iraqi soldiers died.^[2][3][4]

This operation may have been named after the Pittsburgh Steelers American football team, whose hard-nosed defense has been known as the "Steel Curtain" since the 1970s. The Steelers won the Super Bowl just months after the operation was completed.

References

External links

• CNN report on offensive
• Cafe-Syria report
• Marine Corps News
• Battle plan
• Multinatinal force Iraq
• Video of firefight from US position

Iraq War portal

Iraq portal