The Battle of Wadi al-Batin or Battle of Ruqi Pocket took place before the beginning of the Desert Storm operations on 16 February 1991. This is not to be confused with the "Battle of Wadi al-Batin" which was fought later in the four-day ground war between elements of the 1st Cavalry Division (United States) and the Iraqi Republican Guard. Iraqis thought that Coalition forces were prepping the Wadi al-Batin for the main attack. The desired effect was that the Iraqis would think that the main coalition ground attack would come up the Wadi Al Batin, a natural invasion route, and they would therefore reinforce their forces there, at the expense of the Western flank, where VII Corps would conduct the main attack. Deception movements As American forces secretly redeployed from the southern Kuwaiti border to the northwest, "deception cells" were left in the south. These units built a computer-generated electronic network which simulated an intense VHF-UHF wireless traffic. When the Iraqi intelligence caught these "radio calls"—some of them only static hiss—they immediately concluded that the bulk of American forces were still entrenched south of the border. Another military deception was the building of fake bunkers and the shuttling of bogus vehicle convoys, only intended to churn up great clouds of dust. Decoy tanks added to the deception of the unsuspecting Iraqi army. The feint By mid February, General Franks ordered U.S. 1st Cavalry Division to conduct a thrust along the border between Iraq and Kuwait. This misdirection would allow the coalition forces to perform the famous "Hail Mary" to the West as the Iraqis focused on the Wadi. Operation Berm Buster On 15 February, TF 1-32, supported by the division's 8th Engineers, breached the defensive berm built by the Iraqis on the frontier. The 155 mm howitzers of the Division's 3-82nd Field Artillery Regiment kept the Iraqi positions under fire in the course of this operation, pounding seven pre-established targets. The Iraqis retaliated with sporadic mortar fire. TF 1-32 Armor Scout Platoon, along with the Mortar Platoon and elements of D Company, remained in position overnight. They destroyed a border guard post and ambushed an Iraqi reconnaissance patrol, causing at least 3 Iraqi casualties. Operation Red Storm The first phase of the feint was a night attack. Fire support from the 82nd Field Artillery Regiment was required again. The artillery was temporarily reduced to 50% percent when a howitzer was