1996 cruise missile strikes on Iraq

1996 military operation January 2013 July 2026 Operation Desert Strike the Iraqi no-fly zones conflict and the Iraqi Kurdish Civil War Operation Desert Strike - Tomahawk cruise missiles launch.jpg Laboon DDG-58 6 launches Tomahawk cruise missiles at Iraqi air defense targets, 3 September 1996. Laboon DDG-58 6 launches Tomahawk cruise missiles at Iraqi air defense targets, 3 September 1996. Cruise missile strikes Southern Iraq United States Air defense targets in southern Iraq 1996 9 3 yes United StatesUnited States See Aftermath section The 1996 cruise missile strikes on Iraq, codenamed Operation Desert Strike, were joint United States Navy–United States Air Force strikes conducted on 3 September against air defense targets in southern Iraq, in response to an Iraqi offensive in the Kurdish Civil War. Iraqi offensive On 31 August 1996, the Iraqi military launched its biggest offensive since 1991 against the city of Erbil in to defuse the Kurdish Civil War between the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and Kurdistan Democratic Party. This attack stoked American fears and placed Iraqi president Saddam Hussein in clear violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 688 forbidding repression of Iraqs ethnic minorities.1996-09-04 U.S. Forces Hit Iraq Again in 2nd Round of Missile Strikes https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-09-04-mn-40501-story.html 2022-01-05 Los Angeles Times en-US Cruise missile strikes The strikes were initially planned to be by aircraft launched from the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson, including aircraft from Fighter Squadron 11 (VF-11) and Fighter Squadron 31 (VF-31), both operating F-14D Tomcats; Electronic Attack Squadron 139 (VAQ-139), operating EA-6B Prowlers; Attack Squadron 196 (VA-196), operating A-6E SWIP Intruders equipped with the Target Recognition and Attack Multi-Sensor (TRAM) system; Anti-Submarine Squadron 35 (VS-35) flying S-3B Vikings; and Strike Fighter Squadron 113 (VFA-113) and Strike Fighter Squadron 25 (VFA-25), both operating F/A-18C Hornets. However the strike was instead launched by U.S. Navy surface warships and U.S. Air Force (USAF) bombers, using cruise missiles. On 3 September 1996, a joint operation by the U.S. Navy's Carl Vinson Carrier Battle Group and the USAF, a combined strike team consisting of the guided-missile cruiser Shiloh CG-67 6, the guided-missile destroyer Laboon DDG-58 6, and B-52 Stratofortress bombers escorted by F-14D Tomcat fighters from Carl Vinson, with the nuclear-powered guided-missile cruiser California CGN-36 6 serving as Air Warfare Commander,https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/carl-vinson--cvn-70-.html Carl Vinson (CVN-70) 7 June 2019 7 June 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190607132451/https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/carl-vinson--cvn-70-.html dead launched 27 cruise missiles against Iraqi air defense targets in southern Iraq.Pike John Operation Desert Strike http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/desert_strike.htm GlobalSecurity.org A second wave of 17 missiles was launched later that dayMacko Steve http://www.emergency.com/2ndcruse.htm US Launches 2nd Cruise Missile Attack in Iraq 3 September 1996 Emergencynet News Service https://web.archive.org/web/20050209080929/http://www.emergency.com/2ndcruse.htm 9 February 2005 from the destroyers Russell DDG-59 6, Hewitt DD-966 6, USS Laboon, and the nuclear-powered attack submarine Jefferson City SSN-759 6. The missiles hit targets in and around Kut, Iskandariyah, Nasiriyah, and Tallil.http://edition.cnn.com/WORLD/9609/03/iraq.bombing/index.html https://web.archive.org/web/20010729104137/http://edition.cnn.com/WORLD/9609/03/iraq.bombing/index.html dead 29 July 2001 U.S. launches missile strikes against Iraq CNN 3 September 1996 thumb|left|The Laboon fires a Tomahawk missile at Iraq in September 1996. Aftermath It is debatable whether the attacks did or did not have a substantial effect on Iraqs northern campaign. Once they installed the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in control of Irbil, Iraqi troops withdrew from the Kurdish region back to their initial positions. The KDP drove the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) from its other strongholds, and with additional Iraqi help, captured Sulaymaniyah. The PUK and its leader, Jalal Talabani, retreated to the border, and U.S. forces evacuated 700 Iraqi National Congress personnel and 6,000 pro-Western Kurds out of northern Iraq.Plotz David http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/the_gist/1996/09/the_kurds.html The Kurds Slate 28 September 1996 In response to Iraqs moves, the United States and United Kingdom also expanded Operation Southern Watch and the southern Iraqi no-fly zones from the 32nd parallel to the 33rd parallel, bringing it to the edges of Baghdad itself. See also January 1993 airstrikes on Iraq 1993 cruise missile strikes on Iraq 1998 bombing of Iraq February 2001 airstrike in Iraq References External links Operation Desert Strike at globalsecurity.org collapsed Category:1996 in Iraq Category:United States Navy in the 20th century Category:Military operations involving the United States Category:Naval aviation operations and battles Category:Iraqi no-fly zones conflict Category:September 1996 in Iraq Category:Presidency of Bill Clinton Category:Naval bombing operations and battles Category:History of Babylon Governorate Category:History of Dhi Qar Governorate Category:20th century in Wasit Governorate Category:Attacks on military installations in Iraq Category:Attacks on military installations in 1996 Category:Foreign policy of the Clinton administration