▁of ▁B ▁squad ron , ▁who ▁had ▁driven ▁over land ▁from ▁Jordan . ▁Their ▁approach ▁to ▁the ▁plant ▁was ▁comprom ised , ▁and ▁a ▁fire f ight ▁developed ▁which ▁ended ▁in ▁one ▁' p ink ie ' ▁having ▁to ▁be ▁abandoned ▁and ▁destroyed , ▁repeated ▁attempts ▁to ▁assault ▁the ▁plant ▁were ▁halt ed , ▁leading ▁the ▁S AS ▁calling ▁in ▁an ▁air ▁strike ▁which ▁finally ▁sil enced ▁the ▁opposition . ▁ ▁Se iz ure ▁of ▁H - 2 ▁and ▁H - 3 ▁Air ▁B ases , ▁ 1 8 ▁and ▁ 2 5 ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁after ▁in fil tr ating ▁Ira q ▁at ▁full ▁strength , ▁a ▁combined ▁force ▁consisting ▁of ▁B ▁and ▁D ▁squad ron ▁of ▁British ▁Special ▁Air ▁Service ▁and ▁ 1 ▁squad ron ▁of ▁Australian ▁Special ▁Air ▁Service ▁Regiment ▁set ▁up ▁observation ▁posts ▁around ▁H - 2 ▁and ▁H - 3 ▁air ▁base ▁and ▁called ▁in ▁a irst rik es ▁that ▁defeated ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁def enders , ▁the ▁combined ▁British ▁and ▁Australian ▁Squad rons ▁took ▁H - 2 ▁virt ually ▁uno pp osed . ▁H - 3 ▁air base ▁was ▁def ended ▁by ▁a ▁batt alion ▁of ▁Ira qi ▁troops ▁and ▁significant ▁numbers ▁of ▁mobile ▁and ▁static ▁anti ▁aircraft ▁guns , ▁the ▁British ▁and ▁Australian ▁S AS ▁were ▁joined ▁by ▁members ▁of ▁D elta ▁Force ▁and ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁March ▁by ▁Green ▁Ber et ▁O D As ▁from ▁Bra vo ▁company , ▁ 1 st ▁Battalion ▁ 5 th ▁SF G , ▁together