The Gulf War I began in August 1990 when Iraq declared war on Kuwait due to decreasing oil prices and Iraq's financial crisis. In January 1991, a U.N.-authorized coalition force led by the United States defeated Iraq in Kuwait within 100 hours, resulting in up to 100,000 Iraqi soldier deaths. The Gulf War I officially ended on February 28, 1991 and marked the beginning of long-term U.S. military involvement in the Middle East.