Iran's April 1981 attack on Iraq's H-3 airbase using F-4 Phantoms was one of the most daring and successful operations in the history of aerial warfare.

The attack on the H-3 airbase complex, located in western Iraq near the Jordanian border, was meticulously planned by the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force. But the operation faced many challenges: the target was about 3,000 kilometers away, well beyond the normal range of F-4 Phantoms. The mission required flying at very low altitudes to avoid detection. Multiple mid-air refuelings were necessary, including in foreign airspace.

On April 4, 1981, six F-4E and two F-4D Phantoms took off from Hamadan airbase in northwestern Iran. The aircraft flew at extremely low altitudes, sometimes as low as 150 feet over snow-covered mountains. Four mid-air refuelings were performed using Boeing 707 tankers. Two F-14A Tomcats provided air cover, patrolling Iran's western borders. A C-130H early warning aircraft and a Boeing 747 airborne command post monitored Iraqi communications.

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