Operation Steel Curtain was the first large-scale combat deployment of the New Iraqi Army, marking a shift toward Iraqi-led security operations in Al Anbar.
Key Facts
- Date
- Early November 2005
- Operation type
- Border security and counter-insurgency
- Target
- Al Qaeda in Iraq foreign fighter flow
- Key milestone
- First large-scale New Iraqi Army deployment
- Region of focus
- Euphrates River Valley and Al Anbar province
- Parent operation
- Operation Sayeed (Hunter)
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Foreign insurgents were crossing the Iraqi border in significant numbers to join the Iraqi insurgency, particularly al Qaeda in Iraq, which was exploiting the Euphrates River Valley and Al Anbar province as operational corridors. Coalition forces determined that a large-scale offensive was necessary to disrupt these supply and movement networks near the Syrian border town of Al Qa'im.
In early November 2005, coalition forces launched Operation Steel Curtain as part of the broader Operation Sayeed (Hunter). The operation targeted foreign fighter infiltration routes along the Euphrates River Valley and aimed to degrade al Qaeda in Iraq's capacity to operate in Al Anbar province. Notably, it marked the first major deployment of the New Iraqi Army in a large-scale offensive role.
The operation sought to establish a permanent Iraqi Army presence in the Al Qa'im region, reducing reliance on coalition forces for border security. By integrating the New Iraqi Army into front-line operations, it advanced the broader strategy of transitioning security responsibilities to Iraqi forces and curtailing al Qaeda in Iraq's freedom of movement in western Iraq.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
2 belligerents
Side B
1 belligerent