Operation Beit al-Muqaddas 3 was carried out by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on March 14, 1988, by the code of “ Ya Musa ibn Jafar (as) ”. Its objectives were to liberate the heights north of Sulaymaniyah Governorate and to respond to the enemy’ s bombardment of Iranian civilian areas. The operation took place north of Sulaymaniyah and west of Mawat, inside Iraqi territory.

After Operation Beit al-Muqaddas 2 (January 1988) fell short of achieving its goals on the heights west of Mawat, the Iranian forces had to deal with several issues including the inability to move essential equipment into the liberated areas, enemy alertness to Iranian movements, shortcomings in artillery fire support, reconnaissance problems, limited maneuverability, and an overall shortage of forces for a larger operation. Therefore, it was decided to launch a limited-scale operation on the Gojar Heights. Accordingly, the IRGC General Command-in-Chief ordered the capture of this area as a means of completing the defensive line established in Operation Beit al-Muqaddas 2. At the same time, the limited scope of the operation allowed some forces to be redeployed to Halabja to reinforce defensive lines there.⁠[1]

The IRGC units involved in the operation consisted of 18 infantry battalions⁠[2] from the 5th Nasr Division, 31st Ashura Division, 12th Qaem (as) Brigade, and 35th Imam Hassan (as) Brigade.⁠[3] Air support was provided by one Bell 206 helicopter, four Bell 214 helicopters, and one Cobra helicopter from Army Aviation, as well as one Bell 206 from the IRGC.

The overall goal of Operation Beit al-Muqaddas 3 was to capture the Gojar Heights and its ridges, strengthen the defensive line established after Operation Beit al-Muqaddas 2, and to increase Iranian force deployment in northeastern Sulaymaniyah Governorate in Iraq.⁠[4]

Under Najaf Headquarters, the Iranian forces set out at dusk on March 14, 1988, to seize the Gojar Heights in the general Mawat area.⁠[5]

Before sunset, the troops gradually moved from their assembly areas— mostly in the Hermedan Plain— toward their release points. As the advance began, snowfall resumed, accompanied by thick fog that severely restricted visibility for the moving fighters. The extreme cold and deep snow on the Gojar peak made conditions extremely difficult for the Iranians. Despite these difficulties, forces across all axes were ready to engage the enemy. On March 14, 1988, at 1:00 AM,⁠[6] the operation began 65 kilometers inside Iraqi territory by the code of “ Ya Musa ibn Jafar (as) ”.⁠[7]

Initially, units of the 12th Qaem (as) Brigade and then the 31st Ashura Division engaged the enemy. Half an hour after they began, however, the 5th Nasr Division and 35th Brigade had not yet engaged the enemy. By 3:10 AM, the 31st Ashura Division reported that it had fully accomplished its mission. Near dawn, the 5th Nasr Division, after engaging the Iraqi forces, announced it had captured one of the Gojar peaks known as Gerdeh-Helikan. As daylight broke, the main Gojar peak fell to the 12th Qaem (as) Brigade. Enemy troops in the peak bunkers had frozen to death, making the capture and clearing of their positions relatively easy. Some units of the 12th Qaem (as) Brigade were then sent to support the 5th Nasr Division, which had encountered difficulties at Gerdeh-Helikan.⁠[8] While objectives were still being secured, intercepted enemy communications reached Najaf Headquarters, indicating that commando units from the Iraqi Fifth Corps were moving into the area and getting ready to counterattack. As time passed, efforts to retake Gerdeh-Helikan and Sakhreh were halted. The enemy focused its pressure on the gap between the positions of the 35th Imam Hassan (as) Brigade and the 31st Ashura Division. Meanwhile, the 12th Qaem (as) Brigade advanced from Ridge 1 of Gojar toward Ridge 2. Overall, during the first day of the operation, most assigned objectives— except those of the 5th Nasr Division and part of its right flank— were achieved.⁠[9]

On the morning of the first day, the enemy recaptured one of the peaks— Gerdeh-Helikan— that the Iranian forces had taken. In total, 70 percent of the operation’ s goals were achieved during the first day. However, severe cold, heavy snow, and the lack of roads made resupply extremely difficult. Commanders decided to assign the recapture of Gerdeh-Helikan to the 5th Nasr Division, but due to unfamiliarity with the area, the division failed to complete the task. It was then agreed that the 31st Ashura Division would join the effort the following day. Reconnaissance teams from both divisions scouted the area on the third night, but road damage delayed the operation by another day.⁠[10]

Phase two of Operation Beit al-Muqaddas 3 began at 9:00 PM on March 11, 1988. According to the operational plan, the 35th Brigade would advance leftward, capture and clear up to the Helikan pass, thereby enabling the 5th Nasr Division to continue from its last secured position toward the left and, after passing Gerdeh‑Helikan, link up with the 31st Ashura Division. In this phase, only the 5th Nasr Division managed to seize one of the camel-hump-shaped hills short of Gerdeh-Helikan, but the goal was not fully achieved. Meanwhile, Ramazan Headquarters were ready to launch an operation from the west along the Garadeh Ridge (Ridge 3).⁠[11]

Simultaneously with the second phase of the operation, the enemy launched a chemical attack on the Hermedan Plain gullies— the rear area of Iranian forces. In addition to martyring and injuring a number of fighters and causing respiratory, lung, and skin problems, the chemical strike greatly complicated the evacuation of casualties.⁠[12]

Phase three began at 1:00 AM on March 18, 1988, after several days’ delay.⁠[13] In this phase, the 31st Ashura and 5th Nasr divisions captured the rocky ridge and the Gerdeh-Helikan peak and linked up with each other. The transfer of martyrs’ bodies and wounded from the frontline, and the delivery of equipment to the Gojar Heights were started in the morning. Thus, all planned objectives of the operation were achieved. Throughout the operation, Iraq extensively shelled Iranian positions, supply roads, and rear areas but failed to retake any lost ground.⁠[14]

In this way, Operation Beit al-Muqaddas 3 concluded successfully after three phases and six days of fighting. Challenges included bad weather and terrain conditions, the lack of a sling net for helicopter ammunition transport, shortages of ammunition and supplies, and the limited number of helicopters available for resupply and casualty evacuation.

As a result of the operation, the Gojar ridge line including heights 2080, 1787, 1680, 1526, 1490, 1460 meters, the three Helikan heights, and Gavardeh and Somar villages, came under Iranian control. Also, the connecting ridge between Gojar and Alaghlu was cut off. The downing of an aircraft, the destruction of the 604th Infantry Brigade of Iraq’ s First Corps, and the capture of 80 Iraqi soldiers were among the other outcomes of Operation Beit al‑Muqaddas.⁠[15]