Operation Spear was a

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

operation, conducted by U.S. Marines, in Karabillah,

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...

, announced in June 2005. The main objective was to provide proof of foreign fighters, mainly

Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

n, passing through the borders between Iraq and Syria. Marines from Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines (3/25), Kilo and Weapons Companies, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines (3/2) took part. Charlie Company 2nd LAR played a key part in the operation. 1st platoon Charlie company 2nd LAR advanced deep into the outskirts the town, ahead of the main force overnight. They held a support by fire position throughout the morning under heavy fire. Operation Spear began on 17 June 2005. A force of about 1,000 marines and sailors from

Regimental Combat Team 2 The 2nd Marine Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps. They are based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and fall under the command of the 2nd Marine Division and the II Marine Expeditionary Force. C ...

and Iraqi soldiers form 1st Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Brigade took part in the offensive.
The operation took place around Karabilah near the Syrian border. Coalition leaders said that foreign fighters were using the area to infiltrate into Iraq. In the city they would receive help from other anti-Iraqi forces. From the city foreigners would spread around Iraq. They were said to be part of a terror network led by

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi Abu Musab al-Zarqawi ( ar, أَبُو مُصْعَبٍ ٱلزَّرْقَاوِيُّ, ', ''Father of Musab, from Zarqa''; ; October 30, 1966 – June 7, 2006), born Ahmad Fadeel al-Nazal al-Khalayleh (, '), was a Jordanian jihadist who ran a t ...

. The operation was designed to root out anti-Iraqi and anti-coalition forces and destroying some of their support system. In clearing out the city coalition forces found four Iraqi hostages held in a bunker in the center of the city. The forces also found and destroyed several weapons caches and

improvised explosive device An improvised explosive device (IED) is a bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action. It may be constructed of conventional military explosives, such as an artillery shell, attached to a detonating mechan ...

s. While clearing the city, marines and Iraqi forces came under heavy fire but managed to fight off the insurgents with only one friendly killed in action.LCpl. Adam J. Crumpler
, Military Times Honor The Fallen. Air strikes were called in on three buildings which were subsequently destroyed. There were said to be four civilian casualties who were evacuated to military hospitals. It followed Operation Lightning and was followed by Operation Dagger.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spear Military operations of the Iraq War involving the United States Military operations of the Iraq War involving Iraq Military operations of the Iraq War in 2005 Iraqi insurgency (2003–2011) United States Marine Corps in the Iraq War