Factors Contributing to Iraq's Surprise in Operation Valfajr 8

The outcome of Operation Valfajr 8 shifted the balance of the war in favor of Iran. The main reason for success in this operation was the surprise of the Iraqi army in the Faw region. The research questions are: What factors contributed to the surprise of the Iraqi army? In what dimensions was the Iraqi army surprised? To what extent was the Iraqi army surprised? And finally, how significant was the surprise of the Iraqi army in the victory of Operation Valfajr 8?This research is descriptive-analytical in nature and was conducted through the examination of books, documents, and records, along with interviews and questionnaires to gather the necessary information. The findings indicate that factors such as information security, deceptive operations particularly in the Hoveyzeh marshes, support operations especially in the Amal-al-Rasas region, river-crossing tactics, breaching operations, rapid execution of operation phases, and weather conditions on the night of the operation were significant in surprising Iraq in Operation Valfajr 8. The timing of the operation also contributed to this surprise to some extent.The Iraqi army was completely surprised strategically and operationally, and to a large extent tactically, in Operation Valfajr 8. The level of surprise was so high that it was considered the most important factor in the operation's success. The impact of the surprise on the Iraqi army was such that, had Iraq not been surprised with all its capabilities, Iran's victory in this operation would not have been possible.