Scale of Attack on the Basra/Abadan Area. Report

6. Apart from such raids no air attacks could be maintained from bases further away than eastern Anatolia northern Iraq or Northern Persia. Consequently no air threat should arise before the autumn of 1943. Even if Germany were then in possession of such bases, it is unlikely that she could build up a sufficient bombing force there with which to operate on a substantial scale against the Basra/Abadan area before the end of 1943. 7. We see no reason to alter our estimate, contained in J.I.C.(42) 335 of the possible scales of air attack in the Persian Gulf area under the circumstances outlined in paragraph 3 above.