Desert Storm

Desert Storm. This was the combat phase of the Gulf War, a decisive military campaign to expel Iraqi forces from Kuwait following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August 1990. Lasting from 17 January to 28 February 1991, it featured a massive United States-led international coalition that executed a devastating air campaign followed by a rapid and overwhelming ground assault. The operation resulted in the liberation of Kuwait and the near-destruction of the Iraqi Army's combat capability in the Kuwaiti Theater of Operations.

Background and causes

The immediate cause was the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait on 2 August 1990, ordered by President Saddam Hussein. This act was driven by disputes over oil production quotas within OPEC, accusations of economic warfare, and historical claims that Kuwait was part of Iraq's Basra Province. The invasion was met with swift international condemnation, leading to United Nations Security Council Resolution 660 demanding an immediate withdrawal. When diplomatic efforts and economic sanctions, enforced by United Nations Security Council Resolution 661, failed, the UN Security Council passed United Nations Security Council Resolution 678, authorizing member states to use "all necessary means" to liberate Kuwait if Iraq did not comply by 15 January 1991. The subsequent military buildup, primarily in Saudi Arabia under Operation Desert Shield, set the stage for armed conflict.

Military operations

The campaign commenced on 17 January 1991 with a massive aerial bombardment, known as the Gulf War air campaign, targeting Iraqi command and control centers, air defenses, and strategic infrastructure in Baghdad and across the country. Key early objectives included achieving air supremacy and destroying Iraq's Scud missile launch capabilities. The Battle of Khafji in late January was a significant, albeit limited, ground engagement initiated by Iraq. The ground offensive, Operation Desert Sabre, began on 24 February. Coalition forces executed a classic "Left Hook" maneuver, with the U.S. VII Corps and XVIII Airborne Corps sweeping west of the fortified Iraqi positions in Kuwait and into southern Iraq. This led to the decisive Battle of 73 Easting and the Battle of Medina Ridge, effectively destroying the Republican Guard (Iraq). Kuwait City was liberated on 27 February, and a ceasefire was declared on 28 February.

Coalition forces and command

The coalition comprised 35 nations, with the United States contributing the majority of forces under the overall command of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Colin Powell. Theater command was held by U.S. Central Command commander, General Norman Schwarzkopf Jr.. Key national contingents included the British Army's 1st Armoured Division, French Army forces of the Division Daguet, and the Egyptian Army's III Corps. Arab forces were coordinated under the command of Saudi Arabia's Khalid bin Sultan. Naval power was projected by battle groups centered on aircraft carriers like the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) and the HMS Ark Royal (R09), operating in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea.

Iraqi forces and strategy

Iraq deployed approximately 650,000 troops from the Iraqi Army, with elite formations like the Republican Guard (Iraq) and units commanded by figures such as Ali Hassan al-Majid. Their defensive strategy in the Kuwaiti Theater of Operations relied on static, fortified positions along the Saudi Arabia-Kuwait border, extensive trench lines, and obstacles like oil-filled fire trenches. Their operational plan, which misjudged the coalition's avenue of attack, was to absorb the initial assault and then counterattack. Iraq also launched Scud missile attacks against Israel, in an attempt to draw it into the war and fracture the Arab coalition, and against coalition targets in Saudi Arabia, notably Dhahran.

Aftermath and legacy

The conflict concluded with the signing of the Ceasefire Agreement of 1991 at Safwan Airfield. The UN subsequently passed United Nations Security Council Resolution 687, imposing strict disarmament mandates, war reparations, and no-fly zones over Iraq. While Kuwait was liberated, the decision not to advance to Baghdad or remove Saddam Hussein from power led to ongoing instability, culminating in later conflicts like the Iraq War. Militarily, it showcased the transformative effect of precision-guided munitions, stealth technology as used by the F-117 Nighthawk, and dominant battlespace awareness. The war had significant health implications for veterans, studied as Gulf War syndrome, and reshaped geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East for decades.

Category:Gulf War Category:1991 in Iraq Category:1991 in Kuwait Category:Military operations of the Gulf War