Final answer:
Operation Northern Watch replaced Operation Provide Comfort in January 1997 to enforce the no-fly zone over northern Iraq and protect the Kurdish population.
Step-by-step explanation:
In January 1997, Operation Provide Comfort was replaced by Operation Northern Watch. Operation Provide Comfort was a multinational military operation led by the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Turkey, which aimed to protect and provide humanitarian aid to Kurds in northern Iraq after the Gulf War. However, it was later replaced by Operation Northern Watch, which focused on enforcing the no-fly zone over northern Iraq.
The operation that replaced Operation Provide Comfort in January 1997 was Operation Northern Watch. This mission was established to enforce the no-fly zone over the northern part of Iraq, aiming to protect the Kurdish population from attacks by the Iraqi government forces after the Gulf War. After the humanitarian mission of Operation Restore Hope in Somalia, which sought to distribute food and relief supplies during a famine, operations like Northern Watch further showcased the American military’s role in promoting humanitarian goals and stability in the post-Cold War era.