January 18, 1991 · Israel / Saudi Arabia Theater
January 18, 1991
Beginning January 18, Iraq launched SCUD ballistic missiles at Israel and Saudi Arabia — Saddam's strategic gambit to draw Israel into the war and shatter Arab coalition unity. Israel was struck 39 times; Riyadh was targeted repeatedly. The US rushed Patriot missile batteries to both countries, and the world watched televised intercept attempts in real time. The Patriot's effectiveness was hotly debated — later analysis found it rarely actually destroyed SCUDs in flight. On February 25, a SCUD struck a US barracks in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, killing 28 American soldiers — the single deadliest coalition loss of the war.
Commanders