On 9 February 1986, the Iranians launched Operation Dawn 8, in which 100,000 troops comprising five Army divisions and 50,000 men from the Revolutionary Guard and the Basij advanced in a two-pronged offensive into southern Iraq.[20]
The first phase of the Iranian attack was a feint attack, carried out in the vicinity of Basra (around al-Qurnah) from 9-14 February, attempting to split Iraq's 3rd and 7th Corps.