The Gulf War was a military operation launched in response to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in August 1990. The United States and other countries launched Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm.

Key Facts

The Allied coalition was made up of 39 countries. The US Department of Defense estimated the incremental costs of the Gulf War at $61 billion, with US allies providing about $54 billion of that.

Estimates of Iraqi soldier deaths range from 1,500 to 100,000. About 697,000 US troops were deployed to the Persian Gulf region, with 382 in-theater casualties.

The war began on August 2, 1990, when Iraq invaded Kuwait. The United Nations Security Council passed a resolution denouncing the invasion and imposed trade and financial sanctions on Iraq.

On August 7, 1990, US President George H. W. Bush ordered the start of Operation Desert Shield. The air campaign of Operation Desert Storm began on January 16-17, 1991, and the allied ground assault began on February 23-24, 1991.

Kuwait was liberated on February 27, 1991, and coalition attacks against Iraq ended on February 28, 1991.

Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.