The Tactical Times

What really happened in Iraq after “Mission Accomplished”? Operation Ivy Serpent was one of the first major efforts to answer that question—with rifles, raids, and relentless pursuit of a growing insurgency. In the tense summer of 2003, the 4th Infantry Division and 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry found themselves at the front lines of a war that was far from over.

Outgunned, outnumbered, and facing a column of Iraqi armor, a handful of U.S. Green Berets and Kurdish fighters made a legendary stand at a remote crossroads in northern Iraq. With grit, coordination, and just a few Javelin missiles, they turned the tide in one of the most one-sided battles of the war. This is the story of how unconventional warriors rewrote the rules of modern combat at Debecka Pass.

Nestled high in the rugged Nineveh Plains lies Ain Sifni, a small town with a story that blends ancient legend and fierce modern warfare. In the spring of 2003, this seemingly quiet mountain settlement became the stage for a pivotal battle that would shape the fate of northern Iraq. But Ain Sifni’s importance goes far beyond military strategy — its rugged hills have long whispered secrets of spiritual mystery, cultural resilience, and a people’s unyielding fight for freedom.

Discover the intense and often overlooked Battle of Kut in the 2003 Iraq War—a critical clash that paved the way for the final push on Baghdad. From fierce urban combat and strategic house-to-house sweeps to stories of heroism and sacrifice, this article dives deep into how the 1st Marine Division overcame entrenched resistance to secure a decisive victory.

When a routine show of force outside the Iraqi city of Hillah exploded into one of the fiercest battles of the Iraq War, the 101st Airborne Division found itself facing Saddam Hussein’s elite Republican Guard in a desperate fight for survival. What was meant to be a quick demonstration became a brutal, close-quarters slugfest that tested the limits of American soldiers, aviators, and artillery crews.

Discover the fierce, high-stakes battle to seize and hold the Haditha Dam during the 2003 Iraq invasion — a crucial mission that prevented catastrophic flooding and power loss. Dive into the intense firefights, elite special operations forces, and unmatched U.S. dominance that made this often-overlooked battle a pivotal moment in the war. If you want to learn how precision and courage secured one of Iraq’s most strategic sites, this is a must-read.

Discover the untold story of the fierce battle for the Karbala Gap during the 2003 Iraq invasion—where geography, elite Iraqi defenses, and the unstoppable might of the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division clashed in a high-stakes fight that paved the way to Baghdad. Dive into detailed accounts of Special Forces reconnaissance, tactical challenges, and combined arms warfare that defined this critical moment in modern military history.

In the wake of the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, the Baghdad Zoo—once the largest in the Middle East—was reduced to a devastated shell, with only 35 of its 700 animals left alive amid looting, shelling, and starvation. Amid this chaos, a remarkable coalition formed: U.S. soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division and 82nd Airborne, Iraqi zookeepers, and global conservationists, including South African Lawrence Anthony, risked their lives to save the remaining animals and restore the zoo. Their courageous efforts not only revived a symbol of peace in a war-torn city but also forged a rare story of hope and humanity during one of the most turbulent chapters of modern conflict.

In one of the Iraq War’s earliest and fiercest urban battles, U.S. forces from the 82nd Airborne Division and 3rd Infantry Division clashed with determined Fedayeen and Ba’athist fighters in the southern city of Samawah. What began as a bypass operation to keep supply lines open quickly escalated into days of brutal street fighting, sniper attacks, and nighttime firefights. With key bridges, industrial zones, and civilian areas all in play, American paratroopers and mechanized infantry battled not just entrenched enemies but also the chaos of urban warfare—foreshadowing the conflicts that would define the war's later years.