Persian Gulf campaign (1991)

Persian Gulf campaign (1991)
Conflict	Persian Gulf campaign (1991)
Partof	Gulf War
Date	January–February 1991
Place	Persian Gulf, Iraq, Kuwait
Result	Coalition victory; liberation of Kuwait
Territory	Withdrawal of Iraq forces from Kuwait

Persian Gulf campaign (1991)

The Persian Gulf campaign (1991) was the combined air, land, and maritime operations conducted by a multinational coalition led by United States forces to expel Iraq from Kuwait following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and the Gulf Crisis. The campaign integrated assets from CENTCOM, Royal Air Force, French Armed Forces, Soviet Union (diplomatic posture), Saudi Arabian National Guard, Egyptian Armed Forces, and other coalition members under a unified plan culminating in Operation Desert Storm and the ground offensive Operation Desert Sabre.

Background

In August 1990, Iraqi forces under Saddam Hussein invaded and annexed Kuwait, prompting condemnation by the United Nations Security Council and resolutions demanding withdrawal. Economic disputes over oil and territorial claims, including the occupation of the Al-Samitah region and threats to Saudi Arabia's Al Khafji, escalated tensions. The United States deployed forces to Saudi Arabia in Operation Desert Shield alongside contributions from United Kingdom, France, Syria, Pakistan, Canada, Italy, Netherlands, Australia, Kuwait Armed Forces (in exile), Emir-aligned units, United Arab Emirates Armed Forces, and Qatar Emiri Guard to deter further Iraqi advances and prepare for offensive operations under UN mandates.

Coalition forces and order of battle

Coalition command was vested in General H. Norman Schwarzkopf of United States Central Command with operational planning by General Colin Powell (Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff) and theater coordination with commanders such as Admiral William J. Crowe (ret.) advisory roles. Major formations included U.S. XVIII Airborne Corps, U.S. VII Corps, British 1st Armoured Division, French Division Daguet, and multinational brigade elements from Egyptian II Corps, Syria, Pakistan Armed Forces, Saudi Arabian National Guard, Kuwait Armed Forces (exile), United Arab Emirates Armed Forces, Qatar Armed Forces, Bahrain Defence Force, and smaller contingents from Argentina, Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Netherlands Armed Forces, Norway Armed Forces, Portugal Armed Forces, and Spain.

Air components were centered on U.S. Air Force wings, Royal Air Force, French Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, U.S. Navy carrier air wings, and U.S. Marine Corps aviation, supported by assets such as McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle, General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, Panavia Tornado, Dassault Mirage, A-10 Thunderbolt II, AV-8B Harrier II, Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, F-117 Nighthawk, and AH-64 Apache. Naval forces included United States Sixth Fleet elements, Royal Navy, French Navy, and Royal Saudi Navy units enforcing Operation Southern Watch-era maritime interdiction and blockade.

Logistics and intelligence were provided by Defense Intelligence Agency, National Reconnaissance Office satellite feeds, CIA analysis, and coalition reconnaissance from E-3 Sentry, U-2, RQ-2 Pioneer, and AC-130 gunships. Electronic warfare used platforms like EA-6B Prowler and EF-111 Raven.

Campaign operations

The campaign began with an intensive air campaign targeting Iraqi Air Force infrastructure, Scud missile launchers, command centers, oil production facilities, Republican Guard, and integrated air defenses using precision-guided munitions and the suppression of enemy air defenses doctrine. Notable air operations included strikes on Baghdad command nodes, attacks on Kirkuk pipelines, interdiction around Basra and Najaf, and maritime strikes in the Persian Gulf against Iraqi navy units and Öljefacilities. Coalition special operations elements from British Special Air Service, U.S. Army Special Forces, and Navy SEALs conducted reconnaissance, sabotage, and prisoner recovery missions.

Deception and feints, electronic warfare, and a sustained interdiction campaign degraded Iraqi Army logistics and command cohesion. The ground offensive, executed as a left-hook maneuver by VII Corps in concert with XVIII Airborne Corps and allied armored brigades, bypassed heavily defended choke points, encircled Iraqi Republican Guard, and severed lines of communication to Kuwait City and Basra.

Liberation of Kuwait

Coalition armored spearheads, composed of M1 Abrams, Challenger 1, Leclerc (French), and Leopard 1 units, penetrated Iraqi defensive belts and liberated key positions including Al Jahra, Khafji (earlier skirmishes), and ultimately Kuwait City. Air support from A-10 Thunderbolt II and attack helicopters such as AH-64 Apache neutralized entrenched positions. The liberation culminated in the surrender and retreat of many Iraqi Army formations, the recapture of Kuwaiti oil fields—many of which were deliberately set ablaze by Iraqi forces—and the restoration of the Emirate of Kuwait under Jabir Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

Ceasefire and aftermath

A ceasefire was declared after roughly 100 hours of ground combat following UNSC Resolution 678 and UNSC Resolution 687 negotiations outlining Iraqi disarmament obligations. Coalition forces imposed no-fly zones over Iraq and conducted postwar inspections by United Nations Special Commission and International Atomic Energy Agency teams targeting weapons of mass destruction programs. Political consequences included renewed focus on Sanctions against Iraq, shifts in Middle East diplomacy involving Soviet Union (later Russian Federation), China, European Community, and increased U.S. military presence in Gulf Cooperation Council states.

Environmental damage from the deliberate ignition of oil wells by Iraqi forces produced the 1991 Kuwaiti oil fires crisis managed by international firefighting teams including specialists from Red Adair, Petroleum Development Oman, Bechtel, and crews from United States and allied civilian contractors.

Assessment and casualties

Operational assessments credited coalition superiority in precision strike, command and control via AWACS and interoperable communications, and integrated logistics managed by United States Army Materiel Command and allied staff. The campaign exposed vulnerabilities in Iraqi Republican Guard leadership, Scud employment limitations, and challenges of postconflict stabilization that later influenced operations in Iraq War (2003). Estimated Iraqi military casualties ranged widely; coalition losses were comparatively low with documented casualties among United States Armed Forces, British Armed Forces, French Armed Forces, Egyptian Armed Forces, Syria, Saudi Arabian National Guard, and other contingents. Civilian casualties and infrastructure damage in Kuwait and Iraq provoked international humanitarian response from United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, International Committee of the Red Cross, and multiple non-governmental organizations.

Category:1991 conflicts Category:Gulf War Category:Military operations involving the United States