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Operation Desert Storm
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Event

Operation Desert Storm

1991 US-led coalition campaign that expelled Iraqi forces from Kuwait in the Gulf War.

Operation Desert Storm, the 42-country US-led campaign that began bombing Iraq on 17 January 1991, expelled Iraqi forces from Kuwait in about 100 hours of ground fighting and remains the benchmark for Gulf oil and shipping crises.

Last refreshed: 18 October 2026

Key Question

Why did the Gulf War coalition stop at liberating Kuwait instead of taking Baghdad?

Timeline for Operation Desert Storm

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Background

Operation Desert Storm was the combat phase of the 1991 Gulf War, the US-led campaign to expel Iraqi forces from Kuwait after Iraq invaded on 2 August 1990. A 42-country Coalition began bombing on 17 January 1991, after a UN Security Council ultimatum expired on 15 January. The ground assault opened on 24 February; after about 100 hours the Coalition halted and declared a Ceasefire, with Kuwait liberated by 28 February.

It followed Operation Desert Shield, the build-up of coalition forces in Saudi Arabia from August 1990. Iraq fired missiles at Israel and Saudi Arabia during the campaign. President George H. W. Bush stopped at Kuwait's liberation rather than marching on Baghdad, leaving Saddam Hussein in power.

Desert Storm is the reference point for Gulf crises since. The International Energy Agency activated its contingency plan on 17 January 1991, the day the air war began; prices fell sharply on the military news and little of the planned stock draw was needed. The G7's October 2026 oil release drew that comparison. Coalition strikes on Iraqi Silkworm anti-ship missile sites did not restore shipping confidence for months, a precedent cited when US forces struck Iran's minelayers in Hormuz in June 2026.

Common Questions
What was Operation Desert Storm?
The combat phase of the 1991 Gulf War, in which a 42-country US-led coalition expelled Iraqi forces from Kuwait.Source: Wikipedia
When did the 1991 Gulf War start?
The Coalition began bombing Iraq on 17 January 1991. The ground assault opened on 24 February, and Kuwait was liberated by 28 February.Source: Wikipedia
Why did the US not invade Baghdad in 1991?
President George H. W. Bush halted the campaign after Kuwait was liberated, judging that the UN mandate and Coalition supported expelling Iraq, not toppling Saddam Hussein.Source: background
What is the difference between Desert Shield and Desert Storm?
Desert Shield was the 1990 defensive build-up of coalition forces in Saudi Arabia; Desert Storm was the 1991 offensive that drove Iraq out of Kuwait.Source: background
How long did the Gulf War ground offensive last?
The ground offensive lasted roughly 100 hours, after which President Bush ordered a halt and a Ceasefire took effect in late February 1991.Source: background
How many countries were in the Gulf War coalition?
Forty-two countries joined the US-led coalition against Iraq in 1990-91.Source: Wikipedia
Did the IEA release oil during the Gulf War?
The IEA activated its contingency plan on 17 January 1991 as Desert Storm began. Prices fell sharply on the military news and little of the planned stock draw proved necessary.Source: Lowdown
Source Material
Gulf War

Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 18 October 2026. Editorial standards.