1990 Gulf War

9K52 Luna-M artillery rocket system in the 1990 Gulf War

Iraqi forces used Soviet-made FROG / Luna-M short-range artillery rockets during the 1990 Gulf War, including two FROGs reported fired on 21 February 1991, one of which landed near Senegalese coalition troops.

Weapon profile9K52 Luna-M artillery rocket system
SideIraqRoleLong-Range Strike
9K52 Luna-M artillery rocket system, Artillery rocket system, Artillery - 1990 Gulf War
Image source: 9P113 Luna-M.jpg

Evidence Map

ClaimSources
Iraq used Soviet-made FROG missiles during the 1990 Gulf War.

Sources: Needless Deaths in the Gulf War

On 21 February 1991, the Saudi Press Agency reported two Iraqi FROG launches, one landing near Senegalese coalition troops and wounding eight soldiers.

Sources: Needless Deaths in the Gulf War

The cited direct-use source does not identify civilian-target FROG attacks and describes Iraqi military communiques as often noting FROG use against military targets.

Sources: Needless Deaths in the Gulf War

Postwar public-source inventory reporting listed Iraq with more than 500 FROG-7 artillery rockets and 12 to 15 launchers.

Sources: CNS Iraq WMD Profile

Timeline

9K52 Luna-M artillery rocket system In 1990 Gulf War

  1. Saudi report describes two Iraqi FROGs fired

    Middle East Watch reported that the Saudi Press Agency announced two Iraqi FROG launches; one landed near Senegalese coalition troops and wounded eight soldiers, two seriously.

    Sources: Needless Deaths in the Gulf War

Documented Use

Direct proof of use

The 9K52 Luna-M appears in the 1990 Gulf War through Iraqi use of Soviet-made FROG short-range artillery rockets. Middle East Watch, in its Human Rights Watch-published report on civilian casualties during the air campaign, states that Iraq used Soviet-made FROG missiles during the Gulf War and notes that Iraqi military communiques often reported their use against military targets.

The same report gives a dated incident from the Saudi Press Agency: on 21 February 1991, Iraq fired two FROGs, one of which landed near Senegalese coalition troops and wounded eight soldiers, two seriously. The source does not identify a civilian target for that FROG event.

Sources: Needless Deaths in the Gulf War

Timeline

The available direct-use source supports a specific 21 February 1991 firing event during Operation Desert Storm, before the coalition ground offensive opened on 24 February. It does not provide a complete list of Iraqi FROG launches, launch sites, units, or intended targets.

Postwar public-source inventory reporting helps explain the system's presence in Iraqi service. A Center for Nonproliferation Studies Iraq profile archived by GulfLINK listed Iraqi ground delivery systems as including more than 500 FROG-7 artillery rockets and 12 to 15 launchers, with 70 km range and a 450 kg payload.

Sources: Needless Deaths in the Gulf War, CNS Iraq WMD Profile

Narrative

The supported Gulf War role is Iraqi short-range surface-to-surface rocket fire. The FROG/Luna-M was distinct from Iraq's longer-range Scud-derived al-Husayn missile campaign: Middle East Watch describes the FROG as a short-range, solid-fuel tactical missile and places the maximum range at about 60 to 70 km.

For this conflict, the cited evidence supports Iraqi government and security forces as the operating side and supports use against military targets, including the 21 February FROG event near Senegalese troops. It does not establish a comprehensive launch count, the Iraqi unit involved, or a named FROG variant for the reported strike.

Sources: Needless Deaths in the Gulf War

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Sources