Operation Iron Saber

During Post-invasion Iraq, Operation Iron Saber was a coalition strike aimed at defeating the Mahdi Army under the control of Muqtada al-Sadr in Najaf, Diwaniyah, Al Kut and Karbala.^[4] The major American unit involved was the 37th Armor Regiment of 1st Armored Division.^[3] The operation was launched in April 2004, and after intense urban warfare which involved Mahdi militiamen taking refuge in mosques, coalition forces had defeated the Mahdi army by June and had forced a cease-fire with al-Sadr.^[1]

Operation Iron Saber
Part of the 2004 Spring Fighting of Iraq War
Date April – June 2004 Location Najaf, Diwaniyah, Al Kut, Karbala Result Coalition victory[1]
Belligerents
United States 1st Armored Division 37th Armor Regiment Ukraine 6th Mechanized Brigade Poland Bulgaria[2] New Iraqi Army	Mahdi Army
Commanders and leaders
Mark Hertling Lt. Col. Gary Bishop Serhiy Ostrovskyi	Muqtada al-Sadr
Strength
2,500+[3]	1,500–2,900 (April)[3]
Casualties and losses
3 killed 1 killed 20 killed[3]	7,000 killed 20 captured (per 1st Armored Division)[4][3]