A bit similar to this thread
Christmas Day, 1914: Two Catastrophes
Two "cosmics events" marked January and February 1991.
On 17th January (right as the war started, ultimatum to Saddam, and so on) a huge asteroid passed very, very close from Earth (can't remember its name, though)
Edit - google is my friend!
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v354/n6351/abs/354287a0.html
One month later Salyut 7 disingretated over Argentina in a fiery show.
Imagine the two events contribute to rise tensions even more (between USSR, Israel, the coalition, Iran, Iraq...)
Ok, this is a bit ASB, I agree.
More detailed
(totally ASB maybe)
but imagine that, amid Scuds falling on Tel-Aviv Israel think 1991 BA and Salyut 7 are Saddam unknown weapons

heading to them and bringing armaggedon...