In Operation Earnest Will, the US begins providing protection to reflagged Kuwaiti oil tankers in the Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq War. USAF E-3 AWACS warn of aerial threats, C-5 and C- 141 aircraft airlift minesweeping personnel and equipment to the theater, and KC-10 and KC-135 tankers refuel escorting Navy fighters. The operation continues until Nov. 17, 1988.
The Guardians of the 11th Space Warning Squadron were honored as the top U.S. Space Force unit for 2024 for their role in thwarting Iranian missile barrages last year.