▁arms ▁embargo es ▁on ▁Ira q . ▁NAT O ▁members ▁were ▁particularly ▁critical ▁of ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁occupation ▁of ▁K uw ait ▁and ▁by ▁late ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁had ▁issued ▁an ▁ult imat um ▁to ▁Ira q ▁to ▁withdraw ▁its ▁forces ▁from ▁K uw ait ▁by ▁ 1 5 ▁January ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁or ▁face ▁war . ▁ ▁On ▁ 3 ▁August ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁the ▁UN ▁Security ▁Council ▁passed ▁Resol ution ▁ 6 6 0 ▁condem ning ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁invasion ▁of ▁K uw ait ▁and ▁demand ing ▁that ▁Ira q ▁un condition ally ▁withdraw ▁all ▁forces ▁deployed ▁in ▁K uw ait . ▁ ▁After ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁failed ▁negoti ations ▁between ▁major ▁world ▁powers ▁and ▁Ira q , ▁the ▁United ▁States - led ▁coal ition ▁forces ▁launched ▁a ▁massive ▁military ▁assault ▁on ▁Ira q ▁and ▁Ira qi ▁forces ▁station ed ▁in ▁K uw ait ▁in ▁mid - J anu ary ▁ 1 9 9 1 . ▁By ▁ 1 6 ▁January , ▁Al lied ▁aircraft ▁were ▁target ing ▁several ▁Ira qi ▁military ▁sites ▁and ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁Air ▁Force ▁was ▁destroyed . ▁Host ilities ▁continued ▁until ▁late ▁February ▁and ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁February , ▁K uw ait ▁was ▁officially ▁liber ated ▁from ▁Ira q . ▁On ▁ 1 5 ▁March ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁the ▁Em ir ▁of ▁K uw ait ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁country ▁after ▁sp ending ▁more ▁than ▁ 8 ▁months ▁in ▁ex ile .