List of coalition military operations of the Iraq War

300px|thumb|right|M1A1 Abrams pose for a photo under the "Hands of Victory" in Ceremony Square, Baghdad, Iraq.
This is a list of known Coalition military operations of the Iraq War. As of July 2007, there were over 500 known named operations attributed to the ongoing conflict in Iraq. This is not a complete list, but it continues to grow as more operations occur or are identified.
==2003==
Though the initial war lasted for only 21 days the coalition soon found themselves fighting insurgent forces more and more often. Additionally, with the increasing use of guerilla tactics, suicide bombings and improvised explosive devices, just walking down the street became extremely dangerous. Upon completion of the initial conflict the coalition troops began counterinsurgency, humanitarian, security and various other types of operations in order to stabilize the country and make it safe for the Iraqi people. From the end of the initial war until the present day, these are the types of operations that coalition troops continue to complete in efforts to eliminate the insurgency and anti-coalition forces.
==2004==
During the early occupation, a number of widely cited humanitarian, tactical, and political errors by coalition planners, particularly the United States and United Kingdom led to a growing armed resistance, usually called the "Iraqi insurgency" (referred to by the mainstream media and coalition governments). The anti-occupation/anti-coalition forces are believed to be predominantly, but not exclusively, Iraqi Sunni Muslim Arabs, plus some foreign Arab and Muslim fighters, some of the latter tied to al-Qaeda. Several minor coalition members have pulled out of Iraq; this has been widely considered a political success for the anti-occupation forces.
Despite this, there was a reduction in violence throughout Iraq in the start of 2004 due to reorganization within the insurgent forces. During this time the tactics used by coalition forces were studied and the insurgency began to plan a new strategy. The calm did not last long however and once the insurgency had regained its footing attacks resumed and increased. Throughout the remainder of 2004 and continuing into the present day, the insurgency has employed bombings as their primary means of combating the coalition forces. This has led to hundreds of Iraqi civilians and police killed in addition to the coalition forces they were fighting. Many were killed in a series of massive bombings at mosques and shrines throughout Iraq. The bombings indicated that as the relevance of Saddam Hussein and his followers was diminishing, radical Islamists, both foreign and Iraqi was increasing to take their place. An organized Sunni insurgency, with deep roots and both nationalist and Islamist motivations, was becoming clear. The Mahdi Army also began launching attacks on coalition targets and to seize control from the Iraqi security forces. The southern and central portions of Iraq began to erupt in urban guerilla combat as coalition forces attempted to keep control and prepared for a counteroffensive.
In response to insurgent attacks, coalition forces focused on hunting down the remaining leaders of the former regime, culminating in the shooting deaths of Saddam's two sons in July. In all, over 200 top leaders of the former regime were killed or captured, as well as supports and military personnel during the summer of 2004.
==2005==
Coalition and Iraqi government forces continue to battle Iraqi militants and other fighters. During early and mid-May 2005, the U.S. also launched Operation Matador, an assault by around 1,000 marines in the ungoverned region of western Iraq. Coalition and Iraqi soldiers, Iraqi fighters and civilians have been killed in these conflicts. As of late July 2007, nearly 3,700 U.S. soldiers have been killed, and around ten times this many have been wounded. The number of Iraqi citizens who have fallen victim to the fighting has risen. The Iraqi government, with some holdovers from the CPA, engaged in securing control of the oil infrastructure (a source of Iraq's foreign currency) and control of the major cities of Iraq. The insurgency, the developing the New Iraqi Army, disorganized police and security forces, as well as a lack of revenue have hampered efforts to assert control. In addition, former Baathist elements and militant Shia groups have engaged in sabotage, terrorism, open rebellion, and establishing their own security zones in all or part of a dozen cities. The Allawi government vowed to crush the insurgency.
An election for a government to draft a permanent constitution took place during this time (ed. see Politics of Iraq for more information on the political state of Iraq). Although some violence and lack of widespread Sunni participation marred the event, much of the eligible Kurd and Shia populace participated. Sectarian violence has also been prominent part of the militant and guerrilla activity. Targets here where often Shia gatherings or civilian concentrations mainly of Shias. As a result, over 700 Iraqi civilians died in the month.
==2006==
The beginning of 2006 was marked by government creation talks, growing sectarian violence, and continuous anti-coalition attacks. Sectarian violence expanded to a new level of intensity following the al-Askari Mosque bombing in the Iraqi city of Samarra, on 22 February 2006. The explosion at the mosque, one of the holiest sites in Shi'a Islam, is believed to have been caused by a bomb planted by Al-Qaeda in Iraq. Although no injuries occurred in the blast, the mosque was severely damaged and the bombing resulted in violence over the following days.
As of 20 October the U.S military announced that Operation Together Forward had failed to stem the tide of violence in Baghdad, and Shiite militants under al-Sadr seized several southern Iraq cities.
On 23 November, the deadliest attack since the beginning of the Iraq war occurred. Suspected Sunni-Arab militants used five suicide car bombs and two mortar rounds on the capital's Shiite Sadr City slum to kill at least 215 people and wound 257. Shiite mortar teams quickly retaliated, firing 10 shells at Sunni Islam's most important shrine in Baghdad, badly damaging the Abu Hanifa mosque and killing one person. Eight more rounds slammed down near the offices of the Association of Muslim Scholars, the top Sunni Muslim organisation in Iraq, setting nearby houses on fire. Two other mortar barrages on Sunni neighborhoods in west Baghdad killed nine and wounded 21, police said.
After capture in December 2003, Saddam Hussein was hanged on 30 December 2006 after being found guilty of crimes against humanity by an Iraqi court.
==2007==
2007 saw a rise in humanitarian and peacekeeping operations as well as a large "surge" in US forces designed to help stabilize the region.
On 10 January 2007, President Bush announced changes in the administration's political and military strategy in the Iraq War during a television speech broadcast. The speech and underlying strategy had been crafted under the working title "The New Way Forward." In the address Bush stated “America will change our strategy to help the Iraqis carry out their campaign to put down sectarian violence and bring security to the people of Baghdad. This will require increasing American force levels. So I've committed more than 20,000 additional American troops to Iraq. The vast majority of them—five brigades—will be deployed to Baghdad."
As part of this new strategy, 2007 saw several major military operations aimed at eliminating insurgent activities, increase support services such as medical facilities and utilities and the training of Iraqi citizens as police or military personnel.
The largest of these new operations were Operations Law and Order, Phantom Thunder and Phantom Strike.
==2008==
Battle/Operation name 	From date	To date	Location 	Purpose and result
Operation Oklahoma 	 	 	Near Mahmudiyah? 	clearing houses.
Operation Marne Thunderbolt 	 	 	southeast of Baghdad 	Security:Focused on pursuing the enemy and clearing al-Qaeda safe havens. Transitioned to Operation Marne Grand Slam in February 2008.
Operation Rock Reaper 	 	 	west of Baquba, Iraq 	Effort to clear Al-Queda strongholds
Operation Phantom Phoenix 	 	 	southeast of Baghdad, Northern Iraq 	Focused on pursuing the enemy and clearing al-Qaeda safe havens.
Operation Raider Harvest 	 	 	southeast of Baghdad, Northern Iraq 	A sub operation of Operation Iron Harvest.
Operation Iron Harvest 	 	 	Northern Iraq 	To pursue al-Qaeda in Iraq and extremist elements from the region. A sub operation of the corps-level offensive Operation Phantom Phoenix.
Operation Marne Grand Slam 	 	 	southeast of Baghdad 	Security:Focused on pursuing the enemy and clearing al-Qaeda safe havens. Transitioned to Operation Marne Rugged in March 2008.
Operation Marne Rugged 	 	 	southeast of Baghdad 	Security:Focused on pursuing the enemy and clearing al-Qaeda safe havens.
Operation Sawlat al-Fursan (Charge of the Knights)	 	 	al Qurnah, Iraq 	Targeting criminal elements by the Iraqi Army and Iraqi Security Forces
Operation Estonia 	 	 	the cities of Hamza and Hashmiyah, Iraq 	detained numerous criminals and found two caches
Operation Manchu Harvest III (Salah ad Din) 	 	 	Salah ad Din Province, Iraq 	discovered a large weapons cache
Operation Marne Piledriver 	 	 	the Mahmudiyah area 	Peacekeeping and Counterinsurgency:will continue efforts to root out insurgency and stimulate economic growth and development throughout the Mahmudiyah Qada
Operation Restore Peace VI 	 	 	Forward Operating Base McHenry, Iraq 	To reconcile with combatants. Reported a 90% drop in violence in certain areas.
Operation Lions Roar 	 	 	the Younis al-Sabawi neighborhood of Mosul, Iraq 	Discovered a cache consisted of more than 100 mortar rounds, more than 100 mortar fuses, two mortar tubes, two mortar bipods, one suicide vest, two rockets and eight mines.
Operation Balad Musalahah 	 	 	Balad area 	Allowing reconciliation of insurgents.
Operation Siegfried Line 	 	 	southern Baghdad, Iraq 	detained numerous suspected criminals in the Bayaa community
Operation Gravel Dump 	 	 	Karma,Iraq 	Joint USMC/Iraqi Army search of gravel trucks for smuggled weapons.
Operation Spring Break 	 	 	Lake Tharthar, Iraq 	4 day joint operation between U.S. Marines and Iraqi Army scouts.
Operation al Salam, (Peace) 	 	 	Sadr City, Iraq 	
Operation Lion Hunt 	 	 	Ninewah province, Iraq 	the first unilateral Iraqi-led aerial operation conducted by the 11th brigade, 3rd Iraqi Army division.
Operation New Town 	 	 	Shakriyah,Iraq 	an air assault census mission conducted by the 22nd brigade, 6th Iraqi Army division
Operation Iron Roundup II 	 	 	provinces north of Baghdad—Diyala, Salah ad Din, Kirkuk and Ninewa	Discovered weapons caches and detained three suspected terrorists
Operation Lions Paw 	 	 	throughout Iraq 	During the Ramadan month, between fifty and seventy Iraqis will be released from U.S. detention centers in Iraq each day
Operation Dodge City II 	 	 	Southern Muehla 	to find and detain suspected criminals throughout the area
Operation Cretan 	 	 	Salah ad Din province 	to find and detain suspected criminals throughout the area
Operation Eagle North 	 	 	Abu Osage Village of the Sa’id Abdullah Corridor 	to find and detain suspected criminals throughout the area
Operation Myrtle Beach V 	 	 	Kalsu 	Targeted suspected al-Qaida activity in the area.
Operation Bessemer 	 	 	near Bayji 	Air assault operation designed to clear the area of Islamist extremists.
Operation Monmouth 	 	 	Habbash Village 	search for weapon caches and suspected criminals
Operation Viper Pursuit 	 	 	the Sulayman Bak area 	to search for insurgent activity
==2009==
Battle/Operation name 	From date	To date	Location 	Purpose and result
Operation Iron Gator 	 	 	Salman Pak 	A series of ground breaking projects totaling $2 million to improve the security and infrastructure of Salman Pak, southeast of Baghdad.1st Armored Division commander announces operation, Army.mil, Retrieved 12 February 2009
Operation Goodwill 	 	 	Maysan province 	Distributed food, toys and medical supplies to poor Iraqis in the rural villages of Maysan province, to include the villages of Amarah and Abu Romanah.Operation Goodwill Aids Iraqis in Maysan, MNF-I, Retrieved 12 February 2009
Operation Wolf Pursuit 	 	? 	Diyala Province 	Was a joint US and Iraqi operation aimed at targeting insurgents in rural areas of Diyala Province, and the rural southern area of Balad Ruz specifically.OPERATIONS: Operation Wolf Pursuit, Institute for the study of War, Retrieved 3 August 2011
Operation New Hope 	 	? 	Mosul 	Joint US and Iraqi operation with the objective of degrading Al-Qaeda in Iraq's capabilities in Mosul. In the first evening hours of the offensive, 84 suspects were arrested on suspicion of involvement in terrorism.OPERATIONS: OPERATION NEW HOPE (Mosul), Institute for the study of War, Retrieved 3 August 2011
Operation Ninewa Resolve 	 	? 	Neighborhoods in Ninewa	This was a subset of Operation New Hope. As part of the operation, Coalition and Iraqi forces partner to clear insurgents from neighborhoods in Ninewa's capital city of Mosul. After the neighborhood is cleared, a holding force is put into place to prevent the return of insurgents. Once the neighborhood is secured, the holding force begins quick-impact projects to employ Iraqis and spur economic development and reconstruction.OPERATIONS: OPERATION Ninewa Resolve, Institute for the study of War, Retrieved 3 August 2011
Operation Glad Tidings of Benevolence II	 	 	 	The operation has consisted of clearing areas in search of weapons caches, checking identification for known criminals and bringing humanitarian assistance to local communities.
Operation Legion Pursuit II 	 	 	Diyala Province 	The top three key tasks of Legion Pursuit II were to project and sustain Iraqi Security and Coalition forces in the villages of Abu Bakr and Abu Awad, Diyala Province, Iraq and to conduct a detailed census of the towns and to provide humanitarian assistance in order to bolster ISF and local national relations.
==2010==
Battle/Operation name 	From date 	To date 	Location 	Purpose and result
Operation New Dawn 	2010 	2010 	Iraq 	The continuing operation to stabilize Iraq. Name change is meant to signal the change of mission for U.S. forces in Iraq.
Battle of the Palm Grove	9 September 2010	9-12-2010	Hudaidy, Diyala, Iraq	Iraqi police and army supported by American Trainers engaged in a 3-day indecisive engagement with insurgents.
==See also==
*Casualties of the Iraq War
*Civil war in Iraq
*Iraqi Insurgency
*Military Casualties, and non-military deaths.
*Iraq under U.S. Military Occupation
*United States casualties of war
==References==
*National Force Iraq Website
*Global security
*National Corps-Iraq
*Defense America
*Army 1st Division website
*DVIDS Website
*States Army Website
==External articles==
;Maps of Iraq
*High resolution maps of Iraq.
;Iraqi sources
*Iraq Diaries – Iraqis writing about their experiences of war.
*The Ground Truth Project – A series of exclusive, in-depth interviews with Iraqis, aid workers, military personnel and others who have spent significant time on-the-ground in Iraq.
*What Iraqis Think – A compilation of the latest polls and blogs coming out of Iraq.
;Casualties
(additional links not found in Casualties links section)
*"; Iraqi Civilian Deaths Increase Dramatically After Invasion" Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, 28 October 2004.
*"One-Day Toll in Iraq Combat Is Highest for U.S. in Months", Washington Post, 19 October 2006.
*U.S. Military Personnel Wounded in Iraq & Afghanistan: A Running Log.
; Combat operations related
*"Aerial Propaganda Leaflet Database". Psywar.org, 6 November 2005. (ed. Iraq War PSYOP leaflets and posters)
;News
*Electronic Iraq: Daily news and analysis from Iraq with a special focus on the Iraqi experience of war.
*News from Iraq: Aggregated news on the war, including politics and economics.
Military operations of the Iraq War
Military operations of the Iraq War involving the United States
Military operations of the Iraq War involving Iraq
Iraq War coalition military operations
Coalition military operations
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