This Day in History:, The Persian Gulf War Begins.br January 16, 1991.br The UN midnight deadline for the Iraqi withdrawal br from Kuwait expired, leading to the commencement br of Operation Desert Storm.br Beginning at 4:30 p.m. EST, br aircraft from the U.S.-led military coalition br pounded targets in and around Baghdad.br During the next six weeks, the allied force br engaged in an air war against br Iraq’s military and civil infrastructure.br On February 24, a massive coalition br ground offensive began, quickly overwhelming br Iraq’s outdated and poorly supplied armed forces.br On February 28, br President George H.W. Bush declared a cease-fire.