Persian Gulf War Timeline

Iraq invades and annexes Kuwait. The UN Security Council passes Resolution 660, condemning the invasion and demanding the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Iraqi forces.

U.S. President George H.W. Bush gives a speech in which he declares “this will not stand, this aggression against Kuwait.”

Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney and General Norman Schwarzkopf, the commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East, initiate planning for operations to defend Saudi Arabia from a possible assault by Iraq. Troops and equipment for U.S. air and ground forces begin to arrive in Saudi Arabia.

U.S. military planners begin to plan an offensive to expel Iraqi forces from Kuwait.

The UN Security Council issues Resolution 678, calling for the use of “all necessary means” to force Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait if it has not done so by January 15, 1991.

James Baker, the U.S. Secretary of State, meets with Tariq Aziz, the Iraqi Foreign Minister, in Geneva in a fruitless effort to resolve the crisis peacefully.

With the military buildup in Saudi Arabia well under way and the January 15 deadline for Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait approaching, the U.S. Congress passes a resolution authorizing the use of military force.

UN Security Council deadline passes.

In the early morning of January 17. the U.S. and its coalition of allies launch a campaign of air and missile attacks on targets in Iraq and Kuwait. The campaign continues for several weeks, damaging or destroying Iraq’s air defenses, communications, military infrastructure, oil infrastructure, and transportation infrastructure.

Iraq retaliates by firing missiles at Israel and Saudi Arabia. There are no deaths and only a few wounded. Mindful of the need to preserve the international coalition—which includes numerous Arab countries—Israel refrains from retaliating.

U.S. and allied forces increasingly focus their attacks on Iraq’s ground forces in preparation for a ground assault. Special Operations soldiers begin to infiltrate into Kuwait and Iraq.

U.S. and allies begin ground offensive, crossing into Iraq and Kuwait around 4:00 AM.

A Scud missile fired from Iraq destroys a barracks used by U.S. troops in Khobar, Saudi Arabia. Twenty-eight Americans are killed and about 100 are wounded.

Iraqi president Saddam Hussein announces that Iraq will withdraw from Kuwait immediately but does not renounce Iraq’s claim to Kuwait. U.S. and allied forces bomb a convoy of retreating Iraqi troops, killing hundreds.

U.S. and allied forces enter Kuwait City. U.S. President George Bush declares the suspension of offensive combat operations against Iraq.

Iraq announces that it will accept all UN resolutions regarding the conflict.

Iraq accepts the terms of a cease-fire agreement presented by General Schwarzkopf.