Moments after being pulled from his underground hiding spot, a disgraced Saddam Hussein faces the end of his reign as Iraq's most wanted man.
In the early hours of December 13, 2003, under the veil of darkness and with a sense of urgency that only months of fruitless searching can create, U.S. forces descended upon Ad-Dawr, Iraq. The mission? Capture the most wanted man in the world at the time—Saddam Hussein. This operation, codenamed Red Dawn, was the culmination of months of painstaking intelligence work, coordinated strikes, and dogged boots-on-the-ground persistence.
The task force responsible for this historic operation was none other than the now legendary Task Force (TF) 121. A joint special operations group combining the best of the best—Army Delta Force, Navy SEALs, Rangers, and the Air Force’s 24th Special Tactics Squadron. These operators didn’t flinch when the stakes were high and had long since thrown out the rulebook when it came to standard operations. They were surgical, disciplined, and lethal when the mission demanded it.
Satellite image showing locations for Wolverine 1 and 2 and High-Value Target One (HVT#1) Saddam himself.
The Long Hunt
Saddam’s fall from power was swift—Baghdad fell to U.S.-led coalition forces in April 2003. But Saddam was no amateur at disappearing. The man who once ruled Iraq with an iron fist knew how to vanish into the desert landscape, relying on a network of loyalists, family ties, and safe houses. The U.S. government placed a $25 million bounty on his head, and for months, coalition forces combed through intelligence reports and conducted raids, but the trail went cold.
The “wanted” poster was put out by the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA).
That is until Task Force 121 began peeling back the layers of Saddam’s support system. The unit utilized everything in its arsenal—human intelligence (HUMINT), signals intelligence (SIGINT), and plain old gut instinct—to identify and isolate his inner circle. Eventually, a critical lead emerged from an unlikely source: a detainee revealed the name of a courier who had been moving between safe houses. That thread would unravel the whole operation.
Operation Red Dawn Unfolds
The operation to nab Saddam was launched after intelligence officials obtained critical information from Muhammad Ibrahim Omar al-Muslet, a former bodyguard of Hussein. Two potential hiding spots, nicknamed “Wolverine 1” and “Wolverine 2” after the 1984 movie Red Dawn, were identified as targets.
The mission involved about 600 soldiers, including members of Task Force 121, Delta Force (C Squadron), operatives from the CIA, and troops from the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 4th Infantry Division. The operation began at 8:00 PM local time, with soldiers searching the designated areas. Initially, they didn’t find anything, but the search expanded to a small farm compound surrounded by walls. There, at 8:36 PM, soldiers discovered a camouflaged “spider hole” in the ground.
Inside the small, cramped space, they found Saddam Hussein, disheveled and hiding like a trapped rat. He surrendered without a fight, reportedly saying, “I am Saddam Hussein. I am the President of Iraq, and I am willing to negotiate.“After his capture, he was positively identified and taken to Baghdad International Airport.
In this now-famous photo, we see a gentleman named Samir after he smacked Saddam in the mouth a couple of times. Samir was an Iraqi interpreter working for the US. He had family members who were killed by Saddam’s regime, so this was personal. Pulling Hussein from the hole, he cursed at him in Arabic. Basically, Hussein said, “Don’t talk to me; I’m Saddam Hussein,” to which Samir responded, “You are nobody.” He also spat in his face and put his foot on his head and neck. Showing the sole of the foot is quite offensive in Arab cultures. After the war, Samir made his way to the US.
Operation Red Dawn marked the end of a nine-month manhunt that began after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003. It was a significant moment in the conflict in that it brought closure to one chapter of the war and demonstrated the effectiveness of coordinated intelligence and military efforts.
In the early hours of December 13, 2003, under the veil of darkness and with a sense of urgency that only months of fruitless searching can create, U.S. forces descended upon Ad-Dawr, Iraq. The mission? Capture the most wanted man in the world at the time—Saddam Hussein. This operation, codenamed Red Dawn, was the culmination of months of painstaking intelligence work, coordinated strikes, and dogged boots-on-the-ground persistence.
The task force responsible for this historic operation was none other than the now legendary Task Force (TF) 121. A joint special operations group combining the best of the best—Army Delta Force, Navy SEALs, Rangers, and the Air Force’s 24th Special Tactics Squadron. These operators didn’t flinch when the stakes were high and had long since thrown out the rulebook when it came to standard operations. They were surgical, disciplined, and lethal when the mission demanded it.
Satellite image showing locations for Wolverine 1 and 2 and High-Value Target One (HVT#1) Saddam himself.
The Long Hunt
Saddam’s fall from power was swift—Baghdad fell to U.S.-led coalition forces in April 2003. But Saddam was no amateur at disappearing. The man who once ruled Iraq with an iron fist knew how to vanish into the desert landscape, relying on a network of loyalists, family ties, and safe houses. The U.S. government placed a $25 million bounty on his head, and for months, coalition forces combed through intelligence reports and conducted raids, but the trail went cold.
The “wanted” poster was put out by the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA).
That is until Task Force 121 began peeling back the layers of Saddam’s support system. The unit utilized everything in its arsenal—human intelligence (HUMINT), signals intelligence (SIGINT), and plain old gut instinct—to identify and isolate his inner circle. Eventually, a critical lead emerged from an unlikely source: a detainee revealed the name of a courier who had been moving between safe houses. That thread would unravel the whole operation.
Operation Red Dawn Unfolds
The operation to nab Saddam was launched after intelligence officials obtained critical information from Muhammad Ibrahim Omar al-Muslet, a former bodyguard of Hussein. Two potential hiding spots, nicknamed “Wolverine 1” and “Wolverine 2” after the 1984 movie Red Dawn, were identified as targets.
The mission involved about 600 soldiers, including members of Task Force 121, Delta Force (C Squadron), operatives from the CIA, and troops from the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 4th Infantry Division. The operation began at 8:00 PM local time, with soldiers searching the designated areas. Initially, they didn’t find anything, but the search expanded to a small farm compound surrounded by walls. There, at 8:36 PM, soldiers discovered a camouflaged “spider hole” in the ground.
Inside the small, cramped space, they found Saddam Hussein, disheveled and hiding like a trapped rat. He surrendered without a fight, reportedly saying, “I am Saddam Hussein. I am the President of Iraq, and I am willing to negotiate.“After his capture, he was positively identified and taken to Baghdad International Airport.
In this now-famous photo, we see a gentleman named Samir after he smacked Saddam in the mouth a couple of times. Samir was an Iraqi interpreter working for the US. He had family members who were killed by Saddam’s regime, so this was personal. Pulling Hussein from the hole, he cursed at him in Arabic. Basically, Hussein said, “Don’t talk to me; I’m Saddam Hussein,” to which Samir responded, “You are nobody.” He also spat in his face and put his foot on his head and neck. Showing the sole of the foot is quite offensive in Arab cultures. After the war, Samir made his way to the US.
Operation Red Dawn marked the end of a nine-month manhunt that began after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003. It was a significant moment in the conflict in that it brought closure to one chapter of the war and demonstrated the effectiveness of coordinated intelligence and military efforts.
Task Force 121
The men and women of Task Force 121 weren’t looking for glory. They were seasoned professionals who understood that their work would rarely, if ever, be recognized in the public eye. Comprising operators from JSOC (Joint Special Operations Command), the CIA’s Special Activities Division, and other specialized units, their combined expertise made them the ultimate manhunters.
The task force wasn’t only focusing on Saddam. They had been working tirelessly to dismantle the Iraqi insurgency’s leadership and hunting down high-value targets like Uday and Qusay Hussein, Saddam’s sons, who met their end months earlier in Mosul.
Delta operator Kevin Holland takes a minute out of his day to pose with his new buddy, the unknown dictator.
Intel
The capture of Saddam Hussein was made possible through critical intelligence gathered from his personal network, particularly after the arrest of Muhammad Ibrahim Omar al-Musslit, nicknamed “the source” or “the Fatman” by Task Force 121. Intelligence analysts shifted their focus away from high-ranking political figures and instead zeroed in on Hussein’s personal connections and family members. Using advanced techniques, Army Intelligence personnel created detailed diagrams mapping out Saddam’s network of relationships, which expanded as more individuals were captured and interrogated.
The breakthrough came on December 12, 2003, when Muhammad Ibrahim was arrested during a raid on an insurgent headquarters in Baghdad. During his interrogation early the next day, Ibrahim revealed the location where Saddam might be hiding. This intelligence, combined with information from other captured former Ba’ath Party members and signals intelligence from the Intelligence Support Activity (ISA), led forces to a remote farm compound south of Tikrit. By focusing on Saddam’s inner circle and using key individuals like Muhammad Ibrahim to gather actionable intelligence, Task Force 121 was able to pinpoint and capture the former Iraqi dictator.
Saddam was the guest of honor everywhere he went after his capture.
The Aftermath
The capture of Saddam Hussein was a turning point in the Iraq War. Politically, it sent a message to the world: no tyrant is untouchable. For Iraqis, it was a moment of reckoning, though it would take years of strife and conflict for the country to begin rebuilding.For the operators who conducted the raid, it was another mission accomplished—proof that their relentless pursuit of justice could move mountains.
Saddam was later tried and executed by an Iraqi tribunal, but his capture marked the symbolic end of an era. It was also undeniable proof of the effectiveness of American special operations forces. Task Force 121’s role in the mission is a masterclass in interagency cooperation and the application of unconventional warfare strategies.
The end is near.
A Legacy of Excellence
Operation Red Dawn stands out as a defining moment in modern military history, showcasing the value of perseverance, intelligence, and teamwork. While the world watched the headlines, Task Force 121 quietly moved on to the next mission. For these operators, the job is never done, and the target is never truly out of reach.
In the words of one operator, “We don’t do it for the medals or the parades. We do it because it has to be done.”
As someone who’s seen what happens when the truth is distorted, I know how unfair it feels when those who’ve sacrificed the most lose their voice. At SOFREP, our veteran journalists, who once fought for freedom, now fight to bring you unfiltered, real-world intel. But without your support, we risk losing this vital source of truth. By subscribing, you’re not just leveling the playing field—you’re standing with those who’ve already given so much, ensuring they continue to serve by delivering stories that matter. Every subscription means we can hire more veterans and keep their hard-earned knowledge in the fight. Don’t let their voices be silenced. Please consider subscribing now.
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Brandon Webb former Navy SEAL, Bestselling Author and Editor-in-Chief
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