BIGGEST SEAL Team Mission!*

About this video

Ritland’s guest recounts participating in what he describes as the largest joint special operations mission in US history during the Iraq War, involving SEAL Team 3’s assault on Iraqi oil platforms. He describes the pre-mission intelligence warnings of heavy resistance and explosives, one team member’s decision to quit before the operation, and the actual outcome where they encountered minimal resistance from frightened Iraqi personnel who surrendered without detonating the explosives.

Key takeaways

• The guest describes how pre-mission intelligence warned of over 100 enemy troops and rigged explosives on the oil platforms, creating expectations of a catastrophic engagement
• According to the guest, one team member questioned proceeding under such dangerous circumstances and ultimately quit, while the rest committed to going regardless of the risks
• The guest recounts that the actual opposition consisted of about 30 Iraqi Navy divers and guards who were caught sleeping and surrendered without resistance, contrary to intelligence predictions

Episode details: published May 18, 2026 · 107.1K views · 1:15 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Stories told by Mike Ritland’s podcast guests are the guests’ own accounts, attributed to them — not independently verified. Commentary is Ritland’s, presented as his analysis.

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