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The backdrop to this military action was the protracted conflict between Iran and Iraq, which began in 1980. Iran, in a strategic maneuver described as “cutting off the enemy supply lines,” set its sights on targetting Iraq's flow of oil by destroying oil tankers, which included those from Kuwait—an ally of Iraq.
As these tensions escalated and Iranian attacks on Kuwaiti oil tankers became more brazen, the United States took notice, especially due to the rising oil prices that adversely impacted the global economy. The U.S. dispatched a substantial naval convoy to the Persian Gulf—a strategic move intended to safeguard oil tankers in the region.