17 January 1991

Thursday 17 January

1991-01-17

Events

 * Operation 'Desert Storm' begins as the Allies - the US, UK, France, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait - send hundreds of planes on bombing raids into Iraq. Their bombs were aimed at military and strategic targets, including an oil refinery and Baghdad airport. Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein remained defiant. He said the "Mother of all Battles had begun". He urged the Iraqi people to "stand up to evil".