After Iraq invades Kuwait in 1990, President George H. W. Bush launches a military operation that becomes known as the Gulf War.
Known as "Operation Desert Storm," the United States and its allies place more than 900,000 troops in Kuwait and along the Saudi-Iraqi border. The U.S. begins a five-week-long bombardment of Iraqi command targets. After 100 hours, a cease-fire is reached. Tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians are killed.