Marines arrived at Kuwait International Airport, they encountered fierce resistance, and it took them several hours to gain control and secure the airport. On 27 February, Saddam Hussein issued a retreat order to his troops in Kuwait however, one unit of Iraqi troops appeared to have not gotten the retreat order. The general pattern was that coalition troops would encounter Iraqi soldiers who would put up a brief fight before deciding to surrender. The troops themselves encountered little resistance and, apart from several minor tank battles, were met primarily by surrendering soldiers. Once into Kuwait, they headed towards Kuwait City. They maneuvered around vast systems of barbed wire, minefields and trenches. 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions crossed into Kuwait.

on 24 February, after being shelled for months and under the constant threat of a gas attack, the U.S. The operation was in the later stages of the Gulf War.Īn American M60 Patton tank breaches the Iraqi defense line in Kuwait on 24 February.Īt 4 a.m. The majority of the fighting took place in Iraq, rather than Kuwait. and coalition troops entered to find the Iraqis surrendering en masse however, pockets of resistance existed, particularly at Kuwait International Airport where Iraqi troops, seemingly unaware that a retreat order had been issued to them, continued to fight, resulting in a fierce battle over the airport itself. The Liberation of Kuwait was a U.S.-led military operation to retake Kuwait from Iraq after the massive air campaign, between 24 and 28 February 1991.

Fmaous tank battles first gulf war