What role did Erwin Rommel play in the Battle of Kasserine Pass?

During the Battle of Kasserine Pass, Erwin Rommel served as a key commander for the Axis forces, aiming to dislocate the converging Allied armies and push them back west of the Atlas Mountains.12

Rommel’s role included:

• Strategic Planning: He sought to exploit "interior lines" to strike and cripple the Allies separately. He personally led a panzer detachment in a southerly thrust through Gafsa to capture American airfields.1
• Tactical Command: After Axis forces broke through the pass on February 20, 1943, Rommel pushed toward Thala. However, he faced significant friction with his superiors, specifically Arnim, regarding the direction of the advance and the authorization of forces.12
• Withdrawal: Recognizing that Allied defenses had stiffened and that his opportunity for a decisive breakthrough had passed, Rommel broke off the offensive on February 22, 1943, to redeploy his forces against the British Eighth Army.12

While he initially underestimated the American forces, he later acknowledged the high quality of their defensive recovery.2