Summary
Highlights
After a costly seven-year war with Iran, Iraq faced severe financial debt and an unsustainable military budget. Saddam Hussein sought to solve these problems by pressuring OPEC to raise oil prices and demanding financial compensation and debt cancellation from Kuwait, which he accused of overproducing oil. He also staged military exercises on the Kuwaiti border to exert pressure.
Despite international warnings, Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait on August 2, 1990. Iraqi forces quickly occupied Kuwait City, prompting the Kuwaiti Emir to flee. The UN Security Council unanimously condemned the invasion, leading to a broad international coalition of Western, Arab, and Soviet states uniting against Iraq. This invasion jeopardized Middle Eastern oil security and global stability.
The UN imposed an embargo on Iraq, and Saudi Arabia allowed American troops to deploy on its soil, marking the beginning of Operation Desert Shield. The US, UK, France, and several Arab nations pledged support and troops, forming a diverse coalition. Iraq attempted to fracture the coalition by taking foreign hostages and launching an incursion into Saudi Arabia, but these actions only solidified the international resolve against them.
On January 17, 1991, coalition forces launched a massive air campaign, Operation Desert Storm, against Iraq. Apache helicopters and missiles targeted Iraqi radar, blinding their air defenses. Coalition aircraft, including F-117 stealth jets, quickly gained air supremacy, crippling Iraqi airfields and aircraft. Baghdad was heavily bombed, and the air campaign severely demoralized Iraqi frontline troops.
Iraq responded by setting Kuwaiti oil wells on fire, causing widespread pollution and darkened skies. They also launched Scud missiles at Israel and Saudi Arabia, attempting to draw Israel into the conflict and fracture the coalition. However, Israel refrained from direct involvement, largely due to US military aid and the deployment of Patriot air defense systems. Coalition airpower continued to dominate, targeting Iraqi command centers, facilities, and troops.
On February 24, 1991, 500,000 coalition troops launched a ground offensive with a massive 'left hook' maneuver to encircle Iraqi forces in Kuwait. French and American Airborne divisions advanced rapidly, cutting key supply routes, while American and British units attacked directly. Marine divisions pushed through Iraqi defenses, taking thousands of prisoners. The coalition's superior armor, particularly the M1A1 Abrams tanks, proved devastating against Iraqi forces.
As coalition forces advanced, Iraqi resistance crumbled. Iraqi units were often surprised by the swiftness of the assault, particularly from the west. Iraqi troops retreating from Kuwait City were trapped and bombed by coalition airpower on the 'Highway of Death,' resulting in massive destruction and casualties. By February 26, coalition forces had defeated 24 Iraqi divisions.
After 100 hours of ground operations, the coalition declared a ceasefire on February 28, having liberated Kuwait. President Bush encouraged uprisings against Saddam, leading to revolts by Shia minorities in the south and Kurdish militias in the north. However, the coalition disagreed on intervention in Iraq, and Saddam's loyalist Republican Guard brutally suppressed these uprisings. The Gulf War left Saddam's regime intact, though weakened, and resulted in significant casualties, 'Gulf War Syndrome' among veterans, and persistent regional tensions.