“Sheikh Atid”… Details of a plan to assassinate Saddam Hussein that ended in disaster

The decision to assassinate Saddam Hussein is attributed to the then Chief of Staff, Ehud Barak, who instructed the reconnaissance unit of the General Staff to prepare for the operation.

The plan was drawn up in November 1992 under the name “Sheikh Atid”, but it was rejected by the head of military intelligence at the time, Uri Sagi, in addition to the commander of the elite unit that would carry out the operation, Doron Avital.

The objection of the Israeli officials stemmed from the fact that the chances of success of the assassination were small, in addition to the great dangers that might threaten the lives of the soldiers.

Details of the assassination

• The squad responsible for carrying out the assassination heads to Iraq using two Air Force helicopters.
• The division moves to the operation area, where it is divided into two teams, the first being very close to the target, while the second is stationed 12 kilometers away, to fire anti-tank missiles.
• On November 5, 1992, a simulation of the assassination took place, in the presence of senior military leaders in the Israeli army.
• The first part of the simulation was supposed to be without live fire, however, the team responsible for the firing, pressed the wrong button.
• Anti-tank missiles of the type “Tammuz” were fired at soldiers who were playing the role of escorts responsible for Saddam Hussein’s safety.
• The firing of the missiles was a fatal mistake, as it was supposed to take place in the second part of the training, after the area where the simulation was carried out had been evacuated.
• 5 soldiers were killed in the incident, and the strange thing is that the person playing the role of Saddam Hussein was not among the dead.
• Later, an investigation was opened into the incident, and a number of officers were held responsible for this mistake, and their ranks were demoted, and the assassination was suspended.