Fallujah, Mosul, and Gaza: An in-depth examination of battle tactics

President Joe Biden dispatched General James Glynn to Israel as part of a team tasked with providing military guidance ahead of a potential ground operation in Gaza.

General Glynn is no stranger to special operations, having been involved in critical military campaigns in Iraq, including the liberation of Mosul from ISIS in 2017 and the battle of Fallujah in 2004, where American forces clashed with al-Qaeda and its Islamist allies.

The decision to send General Glynn, a three-star Marine Lieutenant General, comes as a reflection of President Biden's desire to ensure that an Israeli ground operation in Gaza is more reminiscent of Mosul in 2017 rather than the Fallujah battle of 2004.

The remarkable thing was that the Axios website reported that Biden was seeking to make the ground operation in Gaza closer to what happened in Mosul in 2017 and not like what happened in Fallujah in 2004.

What differentiates these two battles?

In the case of Fallujah, the American forces engaged directly and swiftly, seizing control of the city within six weeks.

However, the Fallujah battle was the bloodiest for US troops and resulted in significant civilian casualties. The battle included precision airstrikes, special ground operations, human casualties reduction, and an escape route for ISIS.

Conversely, the Mosul battle, lasting nine months, saw the US and international coalition forces employ a combination of precise airstrikes and special ground operations. This strategy facilitated the entry of Iraqi forces and the Popular Mobilization Units into the city, minimizing civilian casualties and weakening ISIS while also providing an escape for them.

This difference in approach highlights the importance of American advice to Israeli military planners.

Instead of conducting a large-scale ground offensive in Gaza, similar to Fallujah, which could put hostages held by Hamas and civilians at significant risk and escalate tensions in the region, American military advisors urge the Israelis to replicate the Mosul battle experience.

The goal is to reduce Israeli casualties and maintain a humanitarian corridor, even though the human cost borne by the people of Gaza remains substantial.

Will we witness months of battles and swift special ground operations akin to what transpired in Mosul? Or will the Israelis prefer to follow the Fallujah strategy, with all its associated risks?