Operation Desert Storm

Overview

The Gulf War was an armed conflict between Iraq and a 42-country coalition led by the United States. The coalition's efforts were in two phases: Operation Desert Shield, which marked the military buildup from August 1990 to January 1991; and Operation Desert Storm, from the bombing campaign against Iraq on 17 January until the American-led liberation of Kuwait on 28 February.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

Operation Desert Storm was the combat phase of the Gulf War, running from the opening air campaign on 17 January 1991 through the liberation of Kuwait on 28 February 1991. It followed Operation Desert Shield, the months-long military buildup that assembled a 42-country coalition under United States leadership. The operation achieved its stated objective of expelling Iraqi forces from Kuwait, bringing the active conflict to a close within roughly six weeks of the initial bombing campaign. Coalition casualties totaled 13,488 against estimated Iraqi losses of 175,000 to 300,000, a disparity that reflected the scale of the coalition's material and organizational advantages. The outcome demonstrated the capacity of a broad multinational coalition — spanning Western powers, Arab states, and others — to coordinate a large-scale combined-arms operation under U.S. command.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (26)