In an operation called ‘Midnight Hammer’, on June 22, 2025, the United States Air Force and Navy attacked three Iranian nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The causalities as claimed by the US was huge, but it is widely believed that the U.S. did not achieve anything from this action. They couldn’t halt Iran from uranium enrichment. Last week Iran claimed itself to be a nuclear super power at any time, if they wanted to, which triggered the U.S. concern towards so-called Middle East peace. Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff recently communicated with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during which he is said to have issued outrageous demands: terminate enrichment, handover enriched uranium, and reduce missile ranges and stockpiles effectively, a demand for capitulation, which Washington knows Tehran will reject. The U.S. will claim ‘Iran refuses to negotiate in good faith’ as ‘casus belli’.
While the tension between U.S. and Iran is paramount becoming high, a violent protest against the current Islamic Republic widely spread out across different provinces of the country. The United States is considering whether to strike Iran as turmoil intensifies for the country’s authoritarian regime. But, rumors swirl around U.S. President Donald Trump’s abrupt cancellation of new air strikes on Iran. What is undeniable is that the US military has few assets in the Persian Gulf. Trump has since ordered reinforcements there. Apparently, this may be the reason. But, if we further dig deeper into the circumstances, the answer is quite clear looking back US’s Operation Eagle Claw in Iran in 1980s.
Operation Eagle Claw, launched on April 24, 1980, was one of the most complex and controversial military operations in American history. The mission was to free citizens held captive in the U.S. Embassy in Tehran during the Iranian Revolution. The operation ultimately failed, and resulted in many casualties and heavy losses to the military, which would have a lasting impact on U.S. military policy.
On November 4, 1979, Iranian students took about 52 American diplomats and citizens hostage in an organised attack on the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. The main reason for their capture was the anger of the Iranian people over the U.S. sheltering the then Shah and their opposition to Western influence. The situation was further complicated by months of failed diplomatic negotiations.
In April 1980, President Jimmy Carter authorised a covert military operation called Operation Eagle Claw. The plan was one of the most complex and quantified military initiatives, involving a multi-service operation involving the Army Delta Force, Rangers, Navy, Air Force, and Marines. The plan was to land helicopters and planes in a desert area near Tehran (codenamed Desert One), take troops there, and then enter the embassy under cover of darkness to free the prisoners.
According to the plan, the helicopters and C-130s would first meet at Desert One, from where the troops would board helicopters to their next location and enter Tehran to rescue the prisoners.
The operation began with unexpected problems. Heavy dust storms and operational problems on the way to the desert meant that some of the helicopters were inoperable, resulting in the failure of the intended number of helicopters to arrive. The operation required at least six helicopters, but only five were operational. The leadership decided to cancel the operation.
As the teams were withdrawing from Desert One, a helicopter and a C-130 transport plane technically collided and caught fire. Both aircraft were destroyed and eight American military personnel participating in the operation lost their lives. The soldiers were quickly evacuated to safety, and the incident was reported as far away as Tehran due to fog and dust.
Although Operation Eagle Claw was not a success, it had a profound impact on the international and domestic scene. The failure, which resulted in the deaths of eight military personnel and the injury of four others, exposed many weaknesses in American military policy and preparation. In particular, it became a major lesson in the joint training and cooperation of Delta Force and other special forces.
Later, the failure of Operation Eagle Claw paved the way for major reforms in American military strategy in the future. The operation has long been remembered in Iran. In 2023, a court in Tehran ordered the United States to pay about $420 million in compensation for the failed operation, although the United States rejected the ruling. The ruling is also seen as a reflection of past tensions between Iran and the United States.
Although Operation Eagle Claw was not successful, it is remembered as one of the riskiest special operations missions in world history. Many military historians say that this operation was the first major test of the importance of modern special forces teamwork and planning. Moreover, it helped to make future missions more coordinated, prepared, and effective.
Operation Eagle Claw was a daring plan – where every moment was fraught with risk. But in the end, it became clear how much of a gap there was between risk and preparedness, and that gap could be the cause of major changes in history. This incident is still researched and discussed today, where US special forces skills, international politics, and humanitarian values are all involved. So, attack on Iran is evidently a risk for US military forces.
The writer is a journalist and columnist
