Operation Southern Focus was a period in the months leading up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq (called "Operation Iraqi Freedom" in the United States) in which the military responses to violations of the southern Iraqi no-fly zones were increased, with more intensive bombing of air defense artillery installations and other military complexes. It also marked a period of increased intelligence gathering. The operation lasted from June 2002 until the beginning of the invasion in March 2003. It was intended to be a "softening up" period prior to invasion, degrading Iraq's air defense and communication abilities.
The operation was not publicly declared at the time, and was just said to be an intensification of the already-existing Operation Southern Watch. When it began, the United States Defense Department and CENTCOM stated that increasing numbers of bombings of Iraqi installations in the region were merely in response to more attacks by the air-defense forces of that country. It is important to note that the Iraqi no-fly zones had been patrolled continuously since the end of the 1991 Gulf War and that bombings by American and coalition fighter aircraft had taken place on a regular basis. However, Southern Focus saw many more engagements . Coalition forces responded to 651 attacks by dropping 606 bombs on 391 carefully-selected targets over the course of the operation.
Lieutenant General Michael Moseley revealed the operation's existence in mid-2003.
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Last updated: 08-31-2005 04:00:53
