▁the ▁Islam ic ▁Republic ▁of ▁Iran ▁Air ▁Force ▁ret ali ated , ▁flying ▁strik es ▁involving ▁up ▁to ▁ 1 4 6 ▁f ighter - b om bers ▁against ▁Ira qi ▁air fields , ▁oil ▁industry ▁install ations , ▁and ▁communic ations ▁sites . ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁striking ▁Ira qi ▁air fields , ▁the ▁I RI AF ▁succeeded ▁in ▁dam aging ▁Ira qi ▁oil - produ cing ▁and ▁export ing ▁facilities ; ▁resulting ▁in ▁Bag hd ad ' s ▁decision ▁to ▁stop ▁all ▁oil ▁exports ▁for ▁several ▁years . ▁ ▁Following ▁a ▁one - week - long ▁counter - air ▁campaign , ▁and ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁critical ▁situation ▁on ▁the ▁ground ▁in ▁Kh uz est an ▁Province , ▁the ▁I RI AF ▁was ▁thrown ▁into ▁the ▁land - b attle , ▁mainly ▁in ▁the ▁areas ▁of ▁K hor ram sh ahr , ▁Ah v az , ▁and ▁Dez ful . ▁Here , ▁the ▁I RI AF ' s ▁performance ▁surprised ▁most ▁informed ▁obser vers , ▁with ▁air ▁strik es ▁against ▁arm our ▁and ▁supply ▁columns . ▁Due ▁to ▁heavy ▁losses ▁in ▁troops ▁and ▁arm our , ▁Iran ian ▁air ▁superior ity ▁and ▁an ▁inter ruption ▁of ▁supply ▁systems , ▁the ▁Ira q is ▁had ▁to ▁stop ▁their ▁off ensive , ▁and ▁then ▁became ▁involved ▁in ▁extremely ▁bitter ▁land - b att les ▁against ▁Iran ian ▁ground ▁forces . ▁ ▁However , ▁the ▁I RI AF ▁paid ▁a ▁heavy ▁price ▁for ▁this ▁success , ▁losing ▁do z ens ▁of ▁its ▁best ▁pil ots ▁and