Military history of Iraq killing thirty-seven of the crew. On August 2, 1990, Iraq invaded and annexed Kuwait. The United States led an international coalition which heavily bombed Iraq and freed Kuwait in 1991. After this war, sanctions were imposed on Iraq as well as a north and south no fly zones, and during the 1990s, Iraq was frequently bombed by American and British aircraft in small sorties. In January 1993, the US launched a cruise missile attack against Iraq, because of it not dismantling police posts near the border with Kuwait. In June 1993, another US cruise missile attack was launched because of
Iran–Kuwait relations Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE voiced strong support for the withdrawal, which Kuwait did not join. Kuwait's plans for regional development, including the "Silk City project" that aims to develop the Kuwaiti Islands, includes developing mutually beneficial economic ties with Iran. Iran–Kuwait relations Kuwait has close and friendly relations with Iran. Kuwait describes its relations with Iran as "excellent and historical". Kuwait sided with Iraq in the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War. According to a declassified 1987 CIA document, Kuwait and Iran were on a "collision course". The document attributes deteriorating relations between the two countries to an increase in Iranian attacks