US and British aircraft attack Iraq (original) (raw)

US and British aircraft have carried out missile attacks on five targets near the Iraqi capital Baghdad tonight, striking command and control targets to the south of the city, the Pentagon has confirmed.

Air raid sirens wailed through Baghdad and anti-aircraft weapons fired into the skies at unseen targets while residents braced themselves for missile strikes.

An announcer on Iraqi television said: "Baghdad has come under attack by American aggressors." Iraqi television has reported that civilians were wounded in the attacks.

"The injured are women, children and old people, some are critical cases," Health Minister Umaid Mehdat said on television.

A doctor at the hospital said a total of nine people had been admitted with injuries from the bombings. "Most are wounded in the chest or legs, some are critical," he said.

Footage shown from a hospital showed at least three children, three women and two men bleeding from leg and stomach wounds. The pictures and comments were aired on Iraqi youth television, run by Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's son Uday.

The Ministry of Defence said that the operation was carried out because over the last few weeks the coalition had experienced increased threats to their aircraft and personnel.

An MoD spokeswoman said: "Iraqi forces have stepped up their efforts to kill our aircrews. During January this year they have launched more missiles than during the whole of 2000."

She said that all targets were "legitimate military targets." The MoD said that six targets had been struck, although the Pentagon gave the number as five.

Downing Street said the raids had been authorised by the defence secretary, Geoff Hoon, earlier this week following discussions with the Americans.

Witnesses in Iraq did not see anything in the skies, but the city was tense as the sirens started just before 6pm GMT. The explosions from anti-aircraft weaponry from the southern and western outskirts of the city began soon after.

The Pentagon described the attacks - believed to have been authorised yesterday by the US president, George W Bush - as "essentially a self-defense measure" given the increased frequency and sophistication of Iraqi operations. US authorities said the targets were military and no attempt was made to hit civilian targets.

The last time the city's sirens wailed was February 24, 1999, when US aircraft attacked targets on the outskirts of the capital, killing and wounding several people.

US and British warplanes have been patrolling no-fly zones in the north and south of the Iraq since the 1991 Gulf War. The allies say the planes never target civilians, but Iraq often reports civilian casualties. Iraq does not recognise the no-fly zones and has been challenging allied aircraft since December 1998.

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