The Gulf War saw the largest use of British troops in a single deployment since the end of the Second World War.
The Gulf War was rooted in long-standing political, economic and territorial tensions in the Middle East. After the end of the Iran-Iraq War in 1988, Iraq faced crippling debt and its President, Saddam Hussein, accused its neighbour, Kuwait, of exceeding oil production quotas - which lowered oil prices - as well as drilling into its own oil field. On 2nd August, 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait, rapidly occupying the country.
The invasion was met with worldwide condemnation. The United Nations Security Council imposed sanctions including resolutions authorising the use of force if Iraq did not withdraw by 15th January, 1991.
The Deadline Passes
With tensions rising, a massive US-led Coalition force was assembled of almost one million service personnel from 34 countries, including NATO members, Arab states and Commonwealth nations. The UK deployed 53,000 men and women of its Armed Forces.
Following Iraq’s refusal to heed the demand to withdraw, Operation Desert Storm was launched. Devastating Coalition airstrikes began on 17th January against military, economic and communications targets in Iraq, Kuwait and, later, on Iraqi forces invading Saudi Arabia. The operation saw all of the RAF’s available fast jets committed to battle and the Coalition flew over 100,000 missions.
After a month of unrelenting airstrikes, a ground assault was launched, and days later Kuwait City was liberated. As the Iraqi Army retreated it set fire to over 700 oil wells, causing huge plumes of smoke and years of environmental damage.
Iraq accepted a UN-mandated ceasefire on 28th February and a further UN Resolution demanded Iraq to end its programmes for weapons-of-mass-destruction (including nuclear, chemical and biological weapons), permit UN inspections and recognise Kuwait’s sovereignty.
Ceasefire Agreed
As part of the ceasefire agreement, no-fly zones in Iraq were implemented to protect civilians from the Iraqi military. Initially a northern no fly zone was policed by US and UK pilots, to support humanitarian operations to the Kurds in the north by preventing Iraqi military operations.
The UK’s contribution, through Operation GRANBY, was vital in the air, sea and land operations that achieved a swift and resounding military resolution. Yet this came at a high price: during the conflict 392 coalition service personnel died, and among their number were 47 members of the British Armed Forces.
It's estimated that between 20,000 to 35,000 Iraqi soldiers were killed and tens of thousands of civilians during the occupation and liberation of Kuwait.
Legacy of the War
In the decade following the War, Saddam Hussein continued to defy UN resolutions and arms inspections.
The impact of the Gulf War was transformative and is felt to this day. It featured extraordinarily extensive global cooperation and rapid deployment of armed forces and hi-tech weaponry. Yet the war’s legacy extended beyond the. battlefield: veterans' health, environmental damage and unresolved political tensions have kept the conflict relevant.
The end of the conflict did not mark the expected return to peacetime service, but rather the beginning of a period termed by a former Chief of the Air Staff as the ‘Age of Uncertainty’, when a changing world would see British Armed Forces committed to near-continuous operations in the Middle East and Europe.
We remember the service of all personnel who contributed to the Gulf War and the lives of the 47 members of the British Armed Forces which were lost.
