Atlas of Battles

naval engagement, notable, Cold War

Operation Earnest Will

Operation Earnest Will was a naval engagement fought in 1987 at Persian Gulf, in what is now United Arab Emirates; it ran into the following year. Its exact site is not recorded; the atlas places it at Persian Gulf. It was part of the Iran–Iraq War, which ran from 1980 to 1988.

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Fought1987ran into the following year
WherePersian Gulf, United Arab Emirates26.000N, 52.000E, placed at the location, approximate
BelligerentsUnited States; Kuwait; Supported by: France; United KingdomagainstIran
Part ofIran–Iraq War1980 to 1988

Where it sits in the Iran–Iraq War

Battle of Khorramshahr, 1980Operation Kaman 99, 1980Operation Scorch Sword, 1980Siege of Abadan, 1980Operation Morvarid, 1980Battle of Dezful, 1981Attack on H3, 1981Operation Tariq al-Qods, 1981Liberation of Khorramshahr, 1982Operation Dawn 2, 1983Operation Dawn 3, 1983Operation Dawn 5, 1984Battle of the Marshes, 1984War of the Cities, 1984First Battle of al-Faw, 1986Battle of Mehran, 1986Siege of Basra, 1987Operation Earnest Will, 198719801987Operation Earnest Will, 1987
18 placed engagements of the Iran–Iraq War in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date1987 (year precision)
to 1988
PlacePersian Gulf, United Arab Emirates
26.000N, 52.000E
KindNaval engagement, Cold War
Commanders
  • Harold Bernsen
Operation Earnest WillOperation Earnest WillIraqi attack on USS StarkBattle off HormuzSiege of BahrainIraqi attack on USS StarkBattle off HormuzSiege of BahrainDohaManama100 km26.000N, 52.000E
Placed at Persian Gulf; the exact site is not recorded. with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1987

Operation Earnest Will is one of 2,997 engagements of the 20th century in the atlas and one of 5 in present-day United Arab Emirates.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q1687078, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Operation Earnest Will, revision 1379713642, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.