On June 24, 2003, U.S. forces captured several key figures in Saddam Husseins government, signaling the near collapse of Husseins regime during the Iraq War. The U.S.-led invasion, which began in March 2003, had quickly overwhelmed the Iraqi military. However, the power vacuum created by the fall of Hussein led to insurgencies and sectarian violence that would plague Iraq for years. The capture of Hussein himself came later in December 2003, but by June, Iraq was in turmoil, with the country undergoing significant reconstruction and instability. The invasion remains a highly controversial military action.