OPERATION DESERT FOX STRIKES IRAQ

Operation Desert Fox strikes Iraq

On December 16th, 1998, American and British forces began a four-day air and missile campaign against Iraqi targets known as Operation Desert Fox. The strikes followed disputes over weapons inspections and were intended to degrade programs linked to prohibited weapons and to punish noncompliance. Aircraft flying from carriers and regional bases, along with cruise missiles launched from ships and submarines, hit command facilities, air defense sites, and other selected objectives. The operation demonstrated the ability to project power quickly without deploying large ground formations, relying instead on precision munitions and detailed target planning. For pilots, sailors, and planners, Desert Fox was part of a pattern of periodic enforcement actions designed to contain a hostile regime between larger wars. The campaign raised continuing questions about the limits of airpower alone and about how best to measure success when objectives focus on capability denial and signaling rather than territorial gains.