U.S. Bombing Watch: When was the last time the U.S. Bombed Iraq?

A service of the Colorado Campaign for Middle East Peace

901 West 14th Avenue, Suite 7 * Denver, CO 80204 * 720-956-0700

 ccmep_org@yahoo.com * www.ccmep.org



* If you know of a US bombing of Iraq that is not listed here, please send info & media source here.

2002

November 6th

October 30th

October 29th: Leaflet Drop

October 23rd

October 22nd

October 15th

October 10th

October 9th

October 3rd

September 29th

September 25th

September 23rd

September 15th

September 9th

September 5th

August 30th

August 27th

August 25th

August 23rd

August 20th

August 17th

August 14th

August 5th

July 28th

July 23rd

July 19th

July 14th

July 13th

July 4th

June 28th

June 26th

June 20th

June 14th

May 31st

May 28th

May 25th

May 23rd

May 20th

May 1st

April 20th

April 16th

February 28th

February 6th

January 24th

January 22nd / January 21st / January 20th?





2001

November 27th

November 11th

October 15th?

October 3rd

October 2nd

September 27th

September 21st

September 20th

September 10th

September 4th

September 1st

August 31st

August 27th

August 17th

August 14th

August 10th

August 7th

July 17th

July 7th

June 26th

June 25th

June 19th?

June 14th

June 6th

June 5th

May 23rd

May 18th

April 30th

April 28th

April 6th

February 22nd

February 16th

February 12th

February 11th

January 28-29th

January 24th

January 20th

January 11th





2000

December 22nd

December 7th

November 16th

November 14th

November 11th

November 1st

October 30th

October 23rd

August 30th

August 12th

August 11th

June 29th

June 26th

June 19th

June 14th

June 8th

May 30th

May 17th

May 16th

May 3rd

May 2nd

April 25th

April 6th

March 15th

March 11th

March 9th * We're still researching bombings preceding this date, of which there are numerous.....stay tuned...






US, British Jets Bomb Targets in Southern Iraq

Wed Nov 6, 2002

WASHINGTON/BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Western warplanes bombed targets in southern Iraq on Wednesday, Iraqi and U.S. military authorities said.




The U.S. Central Command said from its headquarters in Tampa, Florida, that U.S. and British warplanes bombed two anti-aircraft missile sites and a military command post in a southern "no-fly zone" of Iraq in response to continued attempts to shoot down patrolling aircraft.

It said the attacks were against missile batteries near al Kut, 100 miles southeast of the capital Baghdad, and an air defense command and control facility near Tallil, 155 miles southeast of Baghdad.

An Iraqi military spokesman, quoted by the official Iraqi News Agency (INA), said U.S. and British planes bombed "civilian installations" in the provinces of Wassit and Dhi qar. Kut is in Wassit province.

Iraqi and U.S. military authorities gave different times for the bombings -- Central Command said the attacks were launched at about 2:30 p.m., while Baghdad said they took place at 12:25 p.m. on Wednesday.

All aircraft left the area safely and damage to the targets was being assessed, according to Central Command, responsible for U.S. military operations in the Middle East and Gulf.

The Iraqi spokesman said Iraqi forces opened fire at the planes, forcing them to return to their bases in Kuwait.

The number of incidents involving U.S. and British air patrols over no-fly zones in northern and southern Iraq has risen sharply in recent months as speculation has grown that the United States could launch an attack to topple Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

Iraq does not recognize the zones, set up after the 1991 Gulf War to protect a Kurdish enclave in the north and Shi'ite Muslims in the south from attack by Saddam's military.

Iraq accuses Western patrols of attacking civilian targets and killing innocent people. Washington and London deny the charge.

The warplanes have attacked Iraqi air defenses in the zones 54 times this year. Forty-one of those attacks have come in the southern zone.





Allies Bomb North Iraq No-Fly Zone
Wed Oct 30, 9:22 AM ET
ANKARA, Turkey (Assoc. Press) - Allied warplanes bombed Iraqi defense systems in the northern no-fly zone over Iraq Wednesday after being fired upon during routine patrols, the U.S. military said.

The planes used precision-guided weapons to target Iraqi air defense systems, the Stuttgart, Germany-based U.S. European Command said. There was no further information on the targeted sites. The Iraqi forces fired anti-aircraft weapons at the planes.

U.S. and British aircraft patrol the northern no-fly zone. The U.S. warplanes usually fly fighter and bombing mission while the British fly reconnaissance missions. The military statement did not specify if U.S. warplanes carried out the attack.

None of the planes, which are based at Incirlik air base, in southern Turkey, was hit, it said.

Iraq considers patrols of the northern no-fly zone — and of another one in the south of Iraq — a violation of its sovereignty and frequently shoots at the patrols.

The hostilities have been going on for years but are being watched more closely since Washington has vowed to oust President Saddam's Hussein's regime.




US Drops Leaflets, Iraqis Warned Not to Fire on Allies

Mon Oct 28, 3:02 PM ET

Assoc Press

WASHINGTON - For the second time in a month, allied aircraft dropped leaflets over southern Iraq to warn Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s military not to fire on U.S. and British warplanes.


"Before you engage coalition aircraft, think about the consequences," says one version of the Arabic leaflets.

The front depicts an Iraqi soldier shooting at an aircraft, and the back showed the soldier surrounded by smoke and shrapnel from a retaliatory allied strike. Another picture on the back depicts an Iraqi woman and children.

"Think about your family," said an English translation released Monday by the Pentagon (news - web sites). "Do what you must to survive."

The U.S.-British coalition has been patrolling two zones over the country for a decade in an effort to restrict Iraqi flights into the areas. Baghdad considers the patrol flights violations of its sovereignty, and Iraqi forces regularly try to shoot the planes down.

In response, coalition pilots try to bomb Iraqi air-defense systems.

Some 180,000 leaflets were dropped, 120,000 over the port city of Basra and 60,000 over As Samawah, on the Euphrates River, Pentagon officials said. Because of a malfunction in the delivery system, coalition aircraft returned to base with another 60,000 that had been meant for As Samawah, officials said.

The drop was made Sunday and acknowledged by the Pentagon Monday only after reporters asked about it.

A second leaflet dropped Sunday depicts an Iraqi weapon shooting at an airplane, and the weapon being blown up, with the words, "You decide."

Following a similar drop Oct. 3, it was the second direct warning from the Pentagon to Iraq's military rank and file as the Bush administration pursues its campaign to remove Saddam, Iraq's president. Before that, the last drop was in October 2001, officials said.

The leaflets were in the southern zone, set up to protect Shiite Muslims. The northern zone was set up to protect the Kurdish population. Both groups were given protection after unsuccessfully rising in revolt against Saddam.

The last coalition bombing reported over Iraq was Wednesday, when allied planes used precision-guided weapons to target an air defense communications facility near Al Jarrah, 90 miles southeast of Baghdad, and an air-defense operations center near Tallil, 160 miles southeast of Baghdad, U.S. Central Command said.

That bombing brought to 52 the number of days this year that such strikes were reported. It was the 40th in the south, and 12 have been reported by U.S. defense officials in the north.






U.S., British Jets Again Attack Iraq Defenses

Wed Oct 23, 2002

By Charles Aldinger

WASHINGTON ( Reuters) - U.S. and British warplanes attacked Iraqi air defenses in a "no-fly" zone south of Baghdad early on Wednesday in the second such strike in two days, the U.S. military said.


The U.S. Central Command said the jets attacked an air defense communications facility near al Jarrah 90 miles southeast of Baghdad and an air defense operations center near Tallil 160 miles southeast of Baghdad in response to attempts to shoot down patrolling aircraft.

American and British jets attacked air defenses in a northern Iraq no-fly zone on Tuesday, the Pentagon (news - web sites) said earlier. An air defense spokesman in Baghdad charged those aircraft targeted civilian installations.

The warplanes have now attacked air defenses in the two no-fly zones 52 times this year in raids that have escalated sharply as speculation has grown that the United States might invade Iraq to remove President Saddam Hussein, accused by Washington of developing chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.

The Central Command, based in Tampa, Florida, said in a statement that Wednesday's raids were launched at approximately 1:10 a.m. in Iraq. The strike at Tallil was the latest of several attacks on a major air defense center there.

ATTACKS FOLLOW SHOOT-DOWN ATTEMPTS

"Today's strikes came after Iraqi forces fired surface-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft artillery at coalition aircraft in the southern no-fly zone," said the Central Command, which is responsible for U.S. military operations in the Gulf region.

Iraq, which does not recognize the zones set up after the 1991 Gulf War, charges the Western warplanes have attacked civilian targets and killed innocent people. The Pentagon denies that.

The zones are meant to protect a Kurdish enclave in the north and Shi'ite Muslims in the south from possible attack by Iraqi forces.

"Coalition strikes in the no-fly zones are executed as a self-defense measure in response to Iraq hostile threats and acts against coalition forces and their aircraft," the Central Command insisted again on Wednesday.

"Coalition aircraft never target civilian populations or infrastructure and go to painstaking lengths to avoid injury to civilians and damage to civilian facilities."

Despite speculation over a possible U.S. invasion of Iraq, President Bush said this week he believed Iraq could be disarmed peacefully, and he was willing to give diplomacy one more try.

He spoke as the United States continued to press in the United Nations for a new resolution declaring Iraq in violation of Security Council resolutions ordering Baghdad to disarm after the Gulf War.






U.S., British Jets Attack Iraq Air Defenses

Tue Oct 22, 2002

By Charles Aldinger



WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. and British warplanes attacked Iraqi air defenses in a northern "no-fly" zone on Tuesday after Iraqi forces fired on patrolling jets, the U.S. military said.






It was the latest in a series of increasing exchanges in no-fly zones of northern and southern Iraq in recent months as speculation has grown that the United States might invade the country to oust President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites), whom Washington accuses of developing chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.



Tuesday's strikes using guided bombs were launched against "elements of the Iraqi integrated air defense system" after Iraqi forces fired at U.S. and British jets northeast of Mosul, the U.S. European Command said in a statement.



The command, which has responsibility for military operations in northern Iraq, did not specify what targets were hit, but said the jets left the area safely. Pentagon (news - web sites) officials said the strikes were launched in the vicinity of Mosul and that damage to the targets was still being assessed.



The warplanes have hit Iraqi air defenses in the two no-fly zones 51 times this year, 39 times in the south and 12 times in the north.



The zones, set up after the 1991 Gulf War (news - web sites) and which Iraq does not recognize, are meant to protect a Kurdish enclave in the north and Shi'ite Muslims in the south from possible attack by Iraqi forces.



President Bush (news - web sites) said Monday he believed Iraq could be disarmed peacefully, and he was willing to give diplomacy one more try.



"We've tried diplomacy. We're trying it one more time. I believe the free world, if we make up our mind to, can disarm this man peacefully, but if not we have the will and the desire as do other nations to disarm Saddam," Bush told reporters.



He said U.S. policy seeking a regime change in Iraq remained, but said if Saddam met all U.N. disarmament demands "that in itself would signal that the regime has changed."



He spoke as the United States continued to press in the United Nations (news - web sites) for a new resolution declaring Iraq in violation of Security Council resolutions ordering Baghdad to disarm after the Gulf War and warning that Saddam could face action if he did not comply.





US / Britain Bomb Iraq for 50th time this year

Allies bomb command site in Iraq no-fly zone

Tue Oct 15, 2002

By PAULINE JELINEK, Assoc.Press

WASHINGTON - Allied planes bombed a military command facility in the southern no-fly zone over Iraq on Tuesday after taking fire from Iraqi forces, U.S. defense officials said.


The bombing brought to 50 the number of days this year that such strikes were reported by the United States and Britain coalition, whose mission is to patrol two zones set up to protect Iraqi minorities following the 1991 Gulf War.

Coalition planes targeted precision-guided weapons at 1015GMT at a command and control and communications facility near Al Kut, about 100 miles (1670 kilometers) from the capital, Baghdad, said a statement from the U.S. Central Command. It said damage assessment was incomplete.

"Coalition strikes in the no-fly zones are executed as a self-defense measure in response to Iraqi hostile threats and acts against coalition forces and their aircraft," the statement said.

Iraq considers the patrols a violation of its sovereignty and frequently shoots at the planes. In response, coalition pilots try to bomb Iraqi air defenses.

Before Tuesday's retaliatory strike, Iraqi forces fired surface-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft artillery at coalition aircraft, Central Command said.

The hostilities have been going on for years but have taken on new importance since the Bush administration has vowed to oust President Saddam's Hussein's regime. The Pentagon has also changed its targeting in recent months, not necessarily hitting back at facilities from which the hostilities originate, but rather planning strikes that will do the most to disable Iraq air defenses.

The last strike in the southern zone was Friday near Tallil.

According to figures released by the command, Tuesday was the 39th day this year that the U.S.-British operation retaliated against Iraq in the southern zone, set up to protect Shiite Muslims. There have been 11 such days in the northern zone, set up to protect the Kurdish population.








US / Britain Bomb suspected Iraqi Radar, Missile Site

Thu Oct 10, 8:09 AM ET

By PAULINE JELINEK, Assoc. Press

WASHINGTON - Allied planes bombed radar and missile sites in the southern no-fly zone over Iraq on Thursday, targeting President Saddam Hussein's air defenses for the third time this week.


The strike brought to 48 the number of days this year that such bombings were reported by the United States and the United Kingdom coalition, whose mission is to patrol two zones set up to protect Iraqi minorities following the 1991 Gulf War.

Coalition planes targeted precision-guided weapons at a radar site near Al Basrah, about 245 miles southeast of Baghdad, said a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

At the same time — 4 a.m. EDT — they also launched a strike against a surface-to-air missile site near Tallil, about 160 miles southeast of Baghdad, it said.

Iraq considers the patrols a violation of its sovereignty and frequently shoots at the planes. In response, coalition pilots try to bomb Iraqi air defenses.

According to figures released by the command, that made Thursday the 37th day this year that the U.S.-U.K. operation retaliated against Iraq in the southern zone, set up to protect Shiite Muslims. There have been 11 such days in the northern zone, set up to protect the Kurdish population.

The hostilities have been going on for years but have taken on new importance since the Bush administration has vowed to oust Saddam's regime.

Thursday's strike came after Iraqis fired anti-aircraft artillery and surface-to-air missiles at coalition aircraft, the statement said. It follows a strike Wednesday that the U.S. European Command said targeted two missile launchers that were considered threatening to allies.

Last Thursday Iraqi forces fired on coalition aircraft dropping leaflets in the southern no-fly zone and allies bombed a defense operations center at Tallil in response.

The leaflets were warning Iraqis not to shoot on coalition planes






U.S. Bombs Iraq Missile Launchers
Wed Oct 9, 1:05 PM ET
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - U.S. warplanes bombed missile launchers in Iraq's northern no-fly zone on Wednesday, with American military officials calling them a threat to air patrols over the restricted zone.

The strike brought to 47 the number of days this year that such bombings were reported by the United States and the United Kingdom coalition, whose mission is to patrol two zones set up to protect Iraqi minorities following the 1991 Gulf War.

Coalition planes targeted precision-guided weapons at an "imminently hostile surface-to-air missiles system" Iraqis had set up northwest of Mosul in the northern zone, said a statement from the U.S. European Command.

The system included two missile launchers, an official at the Pentagon said on condition of anonymity. He said Iraqis did not fire on coalition planes but their presence in the zone was a threat to the pilots who patrol.

Iraq considers the patrols a violation of its sovereignty and frequently shoots at the planes. In response, coalition pilots try to bomb Iraqi air defenses.

According to figures released by the command, the strike Wednesday made it the 11th day this year that there has been a strike in the northern zone, set up to protect the Kurdish population. There have been a reported 36 such days in the much larger southern zone set up to protect Shiite Muslims and patrolled by the U.S. Central Command. On some days there is more than one strike.

The hostilities have been going on for years but have taken on new importance since the Bush administration has vowed to oust Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's regime.

The planes based enforcing the northern no-fly zone are based in southern Turkey.







US, British Warplanes Drop Leaflets, Bombs on Iraq
Thu Oct 3, 4:06 PM ET
By Charles Aldinger

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. and British warplanes dropped thousands of warning leaflets on southern Iraq and bombed an air defense command center on Thursday after Iraq's military tried to shoot down planes that dropped the leaflets, the Pentagon said.

In Baghdad, an Iraqi military spokesman said five civilians had been killed in an air attack on civilian installations in the south.

The U.S. Central Command said from its headquarters in Tampa, Florida, that a strike with guided bombs was launched at 4:30 a.m. EDT, 12:30 p.m. in Iraq, against a military air defense and operations center near Tallil, about 160 miles southeast of Baghdad.

Defense officials said it was a response to attempts to shoot down coalition aircraft that dropped 120,000 leaflets warning the Iraqi military against continuing to fire missiles and artillery at U.S. and British jets patrolling no-fly zones in northern and southern Iraq.

"The destruction experienced by your colleagues in other air defense locations is a response to your continuing aggression toward planes of the coalition forces," said a sample leaflet made available by the Pentagon.

'YOU COULD BE NEXT' -- LEAFLET

"No tracking or firing on these aircraft will be tolerated. You could be next," the message warned. It included a drawing of a warplane firing missiles at a radar and anti-aircraft battery on the ground.

Defense officials said other such leaflets had been dropped in recent days.

In Baghdad, the Iraqi military spokesman said civilians were targeted and killed.

"The planes attacked our civilian and service installations in Nassiriya city, killing five civilians and injuring eleven others," the spokesman said in a statement carried by the official Iraqi News Agency (INA).

Nassiriya city in Dhi qar province is 235 miles south of Baghdad.

U.S. Defense officials declined to say what kind of aircraft dropped the leaflets. But officials indicated they did not include the U.S. military's four-engine C-130 turboprop "Commando Solo" Special Operations planes used to conduct psychological military operations.

It was the latest in an escalating series of tit-for-tat exchanges in recent months as speculation has grown the United States may be preparing to invade Iraq.

The Central Command said the target was a military communications hub for radar surveillance and anti-aircraft missile sites in the southern no-fly zone.

46 STRIKES THIS YEAR

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told reporters last week he had ordered U.S. aircraft to strike at more "fixed" air defense targets such as buildings and command and control centers in response to attempts to shoot down the patrolling American and British jets.

There have now been 46 strikes this year by U.S. and British aircraft policing two no-fly zones in northern and southern Iraq set up after the 1991 Gulf War. Thirty-six of those have come in the southern zone.

The frequency of the airstrikes against Iraq has fluctuated over the decade since the Gulf War, but they have increased sharply in recent months as speculation has grown that President Bush might order an invasion to oust Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, who Washington accuses of developing weapons of mass destruction.

The no-fly zones, which Baghdad does not recognize, were imposed to protect a Kurdish enclave in the north and Shi'ite Muslims in the south from possible attacks by the Iraqi government.

"Today's strike came after Iraqi air defenses fired anti-aircraft artillery and surface-to-air missiles at coalition aircraft in the southern no-fly zone," the command said in a statement.

"Coalition strikes in the no-fly zones are executed as a self-defense measure in response to Iraqi hostile threats and acts against coalition forces and their aircraft."

The last strike in the southern no-fly zone was against a military mobile radar near Al Kut on Tuesday.






Coalition aircraft hit Iraqi targets
Sunday, September 29, 2002 Posted: 9:23 AM EDT (1323 GMT)

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- U.S. Central Command said Sunday that coalition aircraft patrolling Iraq's southern no-fly zone struck targets in two
locations.

The command issued a news release saying that precision-guided weapons were used to strike a military mobile radar target near Basra and a
surface-to-air site in Qalat Sikur.

The action was taken in response to hostile Iraqi actions against coalition aircraft monitoring the southern no-fly zone, Centcom said. Iraqi TV reported that U.S. forces struck a mobile radar unit in Basra on Sunday. A coalition spokesman said the action took place about 5 p.m. EDT Saturday, or early Sunday Iraqi time. Basra is 345 miles southeast of Baghdad and Qalat Sikur is 130 miles southeast of Baghdad. Coalition warplanes began enforcing the no-fly zones over Iraq after the 1991 Persian Gulf War to stop Iraq from using its air force against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq and Shiite Muslims in the south.



related articles








Iraq Says U.S. Jets Destroy Basra Airport Radar

Thu Sep 26, 8:45 AM ET

By Hassan Hafidh

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq said on Thursday U.S. warplanes had raided Basra civilian airport and damaged its radar system, in the latest attack by Western jets enforcing no-fly zones over Iraq.

Iraq's state-run satellite television quoted a government spokesman as saying the attack on the airport in Basra, 480 km (300 miles) southeast of Baghdad, took place on Wednesday night.

The airport occupies a large area in the strategic Basra province, home to Iraq's main port at the mouth of the Gulf and major oil installations.

"The raids destroyed the main radar system in the airport as well as damaging the main service building at the airport," the television said.

The Iraqi News Agency reported President Saddam Hussein chaired a meeting of top Iraqi officials hours after Wednesday's alleged attack.

INA said they discussed "the current political situation," but gave no further details.

There was no immediate U.S. confirmation of the attack. U.S. aircraft, along with British jets, police two no-fly zones in northern and southern Iraq set up after the 1991 Gulf War.

The zones, which Baghdad does not recognize, were imposed to protect a Kurdish enclave in the north and Shi'ite Muslims in the south from possible attacks by the Iraqi government.

Exchanges have increased sharply in recent months as speculation has grown of a possible U.S. attack against Baghdad to remove President Saddam Hussein from power.

Washington accuses Saddam of developing weapons of mass destruction, a charge Iraq has repeatedly denied.

Vice Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council Izzat Ibrahim, Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan, Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz and the Oil Minister Amir Muhammed Rasheed attended the meeting, the agency said.

It was the second attack on Basra airport's radar system.

U.S. F-16 warplanes destroyed the system last August. U.S. defense officials said at the time the warplanes attacked a military radar as part of a concerted strategy to destroy Iraq's air defenses, which regularly fire at Western warplanes.

Baghdad said on Wednesday U.S. and British jets attacked civilian targets in the south of the country the day before and one civilian was wounded.


Iraq: Western Warplanes Attack South, One Hurt

Wed Sep 25, 1:31 PM ET
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq said U.S. and British jets attacked civilian targets in the south of the country on Tuesday and one civilian was wounded.

"Hostile American and British planes violated our airspace at 21:30 p.m. local time (1:30 p.m. EDT) yesterday, flying from air bases in Kuwait," an Iraqi military spokesman said on Wednesday in a statement carried by the official Iraqi News Agency (INA).

"The enemy attacked our civilian and service installations in Dhi qar and Meisan provinces, hurting one civilian," the spokesman said.

He added that Iraq's ground air defenses fired at the planes and they returned to their bases in Kuwait.

There was no immediate confirmation by the United States or Britain, whose aircraft police two no-fly zones in northern and southern Iraq set up after the 1991 Gulf War.

The zones, which Baghdad does not recognize, were imposed to protect a Kurdish enclave in the north and Shi'ite Muslims in the south from possible attacks by the Iraqi government.

The exchanges have increased sharply in recent months as speculation has grown of a possible U.S. attack against Baghdad to remove President Saddam Hussein from power.

President Bush urged the United Nations last week "to show some backbone" on Iraq and made clear he was prepared to confront Saddam with or without world support.

Washington accuses Baghdad of developing weapons in defiance of U.N. demands first set out at the end of the Gulf War that drove Iraqi occupation troops from Kuwait. Iraq denies the charges.


Iraq Says US, British Jets Attack Targets in South

Sun Sep 15,12:55 PM ET
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq said U.S. and British jets bombed targets in a southern part of the country Sunday, but reported no casualties.

"At 9:35 a.m. local time (1:35 a.m. EDT) today, American and British aircraft violated our airspace, flying from bases in Kuwait and carrying out 38 sorties," an Iraqi military spokesman said in a statement carried by the official Iraqi News Agency (INA).

"The enemy attacked our civilian and service installations in Dhi qar province," the spokesman said. Dhi qar is about 230 miles south of the capital Baghdad.

The spokesman added that Iraqi air defenses on the ground had fired at the planes and they had returned to their bases.

U.S. and British aircraft police "no-fly" zones set up in northern and southern Iraq after the 1991 Gulf War to protect a Kurdish enclave in the north and Shi'ite Muslims in the south from possible attacks by the Iraqi government.

Iraq does not recognize the no-fly zones and exchanges have increased sharply in recent months as speculation has grown of a possible U.S. attack against Baghdad to remove President Saddam Hussein from power.

There was no immediate confirmation of the Iraqi report from Washington or London.

President Bush urged the United Nations on Saturday "to show some backbone" on Iraq and made clear he was prepared to confront Saddam with or without world support.

Washington accuses Baghdad of developing weapons in defiance of U.N. demands first set out at the end of the Gulf War that drove Iraqi troops from Kuwait.





US & Britain Bomb Hits Iraq Facility

Mon Sep 9, 8:58 AM ET



By PAULINE JELINEK, Assoc. Press Writer



WASHINGTON - Allied aircraft struck Iraq for the third time in a week, bombing a military facility southeast of Baghdad Monday morning, defense officials

said. The attack came after Iraqi forces fired on one of the U.S.-British patrols in the no-fly zone, and followed bombings on Thursday and Saturday, Pentagon officials said.



It brought to 37 the number of strikes reported this year by the United States and the United Kingdom coalition put together to patrol zones in the north and south of Iraq following the 1991 Gulf War In Monday's strike, coalition aircraft used precision-guided weapons to hit an air defense command and control facility near Al Amarah, about 170 miles southeast of the Iraqi capital, the U.S. Central Command said. The command called it "a self-defense measure in response to Iraqi hostile threats and acts against coalition forces and their aircraft."



Monday's strike was in the southern zone, set up to protect Shiite Muslims, and it was the 27th one in the zone this year. In the northern zone, set up to

protect Kurds, there have been 10 this year. Both groups were given protection after unsuccessfully revolting against the regime of Iraqi leader Saddam

Hussein. The strikes come as President George W. Bush administration increases efforts to convince the world of the need to overthrow Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, and as Iraq wages a campaign to rally the world against such a move. But attacks and counterattacks in the no-fly zones have been going on

for several years. The numbers ebb and flow, and the Pentagon says there is no particular increase now. Iraq considers the patrols a violation of its

sovereignty and frequently shoots at the planes with anti-aircraft artillery and surface-to-air missiles. In response, coalition pilots try to bomb Iraqi air

defense systems.






U.S. Jets Strike Southern Iraq 'No-Fly' Zone

September 5, 2002



WASHINGTON (Reuters) - American warplanes on Thursday attacked an air defense target in a "no-fly" zone of southern Iraq in the latest in a recently escalating series of exchanges, the U.S. military said. The attack came as President Bush continued to press for the removal of Iraq's President Saddam Hussein from power and amid speculation that Bush might order

a military invasion of that country.



In the 35th strike of the year by American and British jets against no-fly zones in northern and southern Iraq, the U.S. attack jets launched precision-guided weapons against a command-and-control post at a military airfield 240 miles west of Baghdad, the U.S. military's Central Command said. Iraq does not recognize the zones, set up after the 1991 Gulf War to protect minority Kurds and Shiites from attack by Saddam's military. While attempts to shoot down western warplanes and attacks against ground targets have ebbed and flowed over the years, they have increased in recent weeks with 10 air strikes in August, eight of them in the south.



The Central Command said in a news release from its headquarters in Tampa, Florida, that the strike was in response to recent attempts to shoot down the warplanes that monitor the zones. All aircraft departed the target area safely and damage was being assessed, Central Command said.



Speculation has grown over the summer that the United States will move militarily to oust Saddam, who the Bush administration accuses of developing weapons of mass destruction. Baghdad denies those accusations, and many U.S. allies have voiced strong opposition to any military attack to oust Saddam. Bush promised on Wednesday to seek backing from the U.S. Congress and allies for any such move against Iraq.






U.S., British Jets Attack Targets in South: Iraq

Friday, August 30, 2002; 1:46 PM



BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq said U.S. and British jets bombed targets in southern Iraq on Thursday and Friday, but reported no casualties. The U.S. military said earlier that its warplanes attacked an anti-aircraft missile site in a "no-fly" zone of southern Iraq on Friday in response to repeated Iraqi attempts to shoot down American and British jets patrolling the zone.



The latest such attack, among hundreds in no-fly zones in northern and southern Iraq since the 1991 Gulf War, was carried out against a surface-to-air (SAM) missile site near An Kut some 150 miles southeast of Baghdad at about 10:30 a.m. Iraq time, the military's Central Command said.



Iraq said there had been attacks on Thursday at 11:35 p.m. and on Friday 8:10 a.m. local time 0410. "At 2335 p.m. local time yesterday, hostile planes violated our airspaces, carrying out eight sorties using air bases in Kuwait," the Iraqi military spokesman said in a statement carried by the official Iraqi News Agency (INA).



"The enemy attacked civilian and service installations in Wassit province," the spokesman said. The spokesman added that Western coalition planes struck targets in Wassit province, located 172 km (107 miles) southeast of Baghdad, again on Thursday morning.



"Hostile planes targeted civilian and service installations in Wassit province at 0810 a.m. local time today for the second time," he said.



Iraq's ground air-defenses fired at the planes. U.S. and British aircraft police no-fly zones in northern and southern Iraq set up after the Gulf War. Iraq does not recognize the zones. It was the eighth raid by U.S. jets against air defense targets in these areas in less than two weeks.



The exchanges have increased sharply in recent months as speculation has grown that President Bush will order the U.S. military to invade Iraq and to remove President Saddam Hussein from power. Iraq has the second largest oil reserves in the world behind Saudi Arabia.



Baghdad denies accusations from Washington that Saddam is pressing ahead to develop weapons of mass destruction.



The Central Command, which oversees U.S. military operations in the Gulf and Middle East, said in a release from its headquarters in Tampa, Florida, that all of the warplanes left the target area successfully and damage to the missile site was still being assessed.






U.S. Warplanes Strike in North, South Iraq

August 27, 2002

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. warplanes struck targets in Iraqi "no-fly" zones Tuesday, with Washington saying they attacked air defense positions but Baghdad saying a civilian airport was one of the places hit.



The U.S. military, citing repeated Iraqi attempts to shoot down U.S. and British warplanes, said its jets attacked a radar site in northern Iraq and an air defense command facility in southern Iraq, in its sixth and seventh raids within a week.

But the official Iraqi News Agency said U.S. and British jets fired two bombs at Mosul civilian airport, 270 miles north of Baghdad.

"The aggression led to the destruction of windows in the passenger terminals and of the airport radar system," a Transport Ministry spokesman told the agency.

An Iraqi military spokesman said Allied jets bombed civilian targets in the south of the country, but reported no casualties.

Hundreds of such tit-for-tat exchanges have occurred since the 1991 Gulf War, but they have increased sharply as speculation grows that President Bush will order the U.S. military to invade Iraq and remove President Saddam Hussein.

Washington accuses him of developing weapons of mass destruction, and on Monday Vice President Dick Cheney said it was time to oust Saddam.

According to the Pentagon, Tuesday's raids against air defenses in the two zones were the sixth and seventh in just over a week with the total number reaching 32 this year.

In a tough speech Cheney called for a liberated Iraq, saying that now, not later, was the time for a pre-emptive strike.

He noted that many U.S. allies, former senior U.S. officials and even congressional leaders in his own Republican Party, were cautioning against military action now.

"Some concede that Saddam is evil, power-hungry and a menace, but that until he crosses the threshold of actually possessing nuclear weapons we should rule out any pre-emptive action," Cheney said.

"Yet if we did wait until that moment, Saddam would simply be emboldened and it would become even harder for us to gather friends and allies to oppose him."

PATROLS CONDUCTED SINCE GULF WAR

U.S. and British aircraft police no-fly zones in northern and southern Iraq set up after the Gulf War.

Baghdad does not recognize the zones, which were imposed to protect a Kurdish enclave in the north and Shi'ite Muslims in the south from possible attacks by Iraqi forces.

U.S. military officials said Western warplanes left the areas of Tuesday's attacks safely and damage was being assessed.

The U.S. European Command in Germany, responsible for military operations in northern Iraq, said jets attacked a radar site near Mosul.

The U.S. Central Command, which heads military operations in the Gulf, said warplanes used precision-guided weapons to strike an air defense command and control facility near An Nukhayb in the southern no-fly zone at about 2:30 a.m. EDT.

Earlier Iraq said U.S. and British warplanes had attacked civilian targets in the south of the country on Monday.

But U.S. and British officials said they were unaware of any attacks on Monday, although raids were conducted on targets in the southern zone on Sunday.

Iraq said on Sunday eight people were killed and nine wounded when Western coalition planes bombed targets in Basra province, 340 miles south of Baghdad.






Iraq Claims 8 Die in Airstrike
August 25, 2002

Assoc. Press


BAGHDAD, Iraq - A U.S.-British air raid in southern Iraq left eight civilians dead and nine wounded, the Iraqi military said Sunday.

The military told the official Iraqi News Agency that the warplanes bombed areas in Basra province, 330 miles south of Baghdad.

The U.S. Central Command in Florida said coalition aircraft used precision-guided weapons to strike two air defense radar systems near Basra "in response to recent Iraqi hostile acts against coalition aircraft monitoring the Southern No-Fly Zone."

It said there have been more than 120 separate incidents of Iraqi surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery fire directed against
coalition aircraft this year, the most recent on Aug. 20.

The Iraq report didn't provide further details about the casualties. U.S. officials have said they have no way of confirming or denying Iraqi claims of causalities but that coalition aircraft "never target civilian populations or infrastructure and go to painstaking lengths to avoid injury to civilians and damage to civilian facilities."

The attacks came as Washington weighs options to topple Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Iraqi opposition leaders are meeting in London
to discuss their role in any bid to oust Saddam.

U.S. and British warplanes monitoring "no fly" zones over southern and northern Iraq regularly attack Iraqi military facilities. The zones were established shortly after the 1991 Gulf War to protect Kurdish and Shiite Muslim groups.

Iraq frequently tries to shoot down allied planes as it considers the zones violations of Iraqi sovereignty.






U.S. Planes Bomb Iraqi Site

August 23, 2002

Assoc. Press

ANKARA, Turkey - U.S. warplanes bombed an air defense site in northern Iraq on Friday after being targeted by an Iraqi missile guidance radar system, the U.S. military said.


The planes were on a routine patrol when Iraqi radar locked on the warplanes flying near the northern Iraqi Kurdish city of Irbil, the Stuttgart, Germany-based U.S. European Command said in a statement.

"Coalition aircraft responded to the Iraqi attacks by firing on the radar site," the statement said. "All coalition aircraft departed the area safely."

The incident came at a time when the United States is considering an attack on Iraq aimed at overthrowing its leader, Saddam Hussein.

The planes are based at Incirlik air base in southern Turkey.

U.S. and British warplanes have been monitoring "no fly" zones over southern and northern Iraq since shortly after the 1991 Gulf War to protect the Kurdish minority and Shiite Muslims.

Iraq considers the patrols a violation of its sovereignty and frequently shoots at them.








Iraq Says Three Civilians Hurt in Western Air Raid

August 20, 2002

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. and British jets bombed targets in southern Iraq Tuesday for the third time in a week, wounding three civilians, the Iraqi Air Force Command said.


The U.S. Central Command said earlier the jets bombed an air defense command and control facility about 120 miles southeast of Baghdad at around 1:40 a.m. EDT.

The Iraqi air force said in a statement the raid targeted "civilian installations and public buildings" at 3:40 a.m. GMT.

"The evil American administration and its follower Britain added a new crime to their blood-stained record against our people when their planes raided civilian installations and public buildings in Missan province which lead to wounding ... three civilians," the Iraqi statement said.

Central Command said the strikes against the Amarah facility came "in response to recent Iraqi hostile acts against coalition aircraft monitoring the southern no-fly zone" and were executed using precision-guided weapons.

Amarah is in Missan province.

It was the third Western raid against Iraqi targets in a week, following a strike against a mobile radar unit Saturday and strikes by U.S. and British planes against targets in southern Iraq last Wednesday.

"Coalition strikes in the no-fly zones are executed as a self-defense measure in response to Iraqi hostile threats and acts against coalition forces and their aircraft," said Central Command, which heads U.S. military operations in the Gulf.

The U.S. military cited more than 110 separate incidents of Iraqi surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery fire directed at coalition aircraft this year.

Central Command said coalition aircraft never targeted civilian populations or infrastructure.

Tuesday's raid was the 28th this year by U.S. and British warplanes in the northern and southern "no-fly zones" of Iraq, set up after the 1991 Gulf War to protect Kurds in the north and Shi'ite Muslims in the south from attack by Baghdad's forces.

The raids have increased in recent months amid threats from President Bush to oust Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Washington accuses Baghdad of developing chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. Iraq denies the charge.






Iraq Says Western Planes Raid Southern Iraq

Sat Aug 17, 2002

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. and British jet fighters bombed targets in southern Iraq on Saturday in the second raid this week, the Iraqi Air Force Command said.


It said in a statement the planes struck civilian and public buildings in Dhi-Qar province, 375 km (250 miles) south of Baghdad.

Iraqi air defenses fired at the attacking planes, forcing them to return to bases in Kuwait, it said.

There was no immediate confirmation of the strike from Britain or the United States.

U.S. and British planes had attacked targets in the south on Wednesday, wounding four civilians, the Iraqi air force said this week.

Britain confirmed that raid, saying it was launched after a mobile tracking radar unit had locked onto the aircraft, but said it was not aware of any casualties.

Saturday's raid was the 27th this year by U.S. and British warplanes in northern and southern "no-fly zones" of Iraq, set up after the 1991 Gulf War to protect Kurds in the north and Shi'ite Muslims in the south from attack by Baghdad's forces.

The raids have increased in recent months amid mounting threats from President Bush to oust President Saddam Hussein. Washington accuses Baghdad of developing chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.

Iraq denies the charge and Saddam has said any U.S. invasion of his country is doomed to fail.






Coalition planes strike Iraqi air defenses, U.S. military says


Thu Aug 15, 1:10 PM ET

YahooNews Full Coverage/AP

WASHINGTON - Aircraft from the U.S.-British coalition patrolling southern Iraq bombed two Iraqi air defense sites, the U.S. Central Command said.

The attack on Wednesday with precision-guided weapons at about 2100 GMT was a response to Iraqi actions threatening coalition planes patrolling the southern no-fly zone, a Central Command statement said.

In Iraq, an unidentified military spokesman said four civilians were injured in the attacks, the official Iraqi News Agency reported Thursday.

"The evil U.S. and British warplanes attacked residential areas and service installations in Wasit and Missan provinces ... Wednesday night," the spokesman said, according to INA. Wasit and Missan are 170 kilometers (106 miles) and 430 kilometers (267 miles) respectively southeast of Baghdad.

"Our courageous air defenses drove the planes away," he told INA.

The strike was the latest in a series of incidents in the no-fly zones over northern and southern Iraq. Coalition planes struck an Iraqi military communications facility on Aug. 5.

The no-fly zones were created after the 1991 Gulf War to protect Iraqi dissident populations from President Saddam Hussein's military. Saddam says the zones are a violation of Iraqi sovereignty and his military often tries to shoot down warplanes patrolling the areas.

Central Command says Iraq has fired on coalition planes 85 times this year. The command, based in Tampa, Florida, is responsible for the region.





U.S. Jets Attack Target in Southern Iraq

August 5, 2002

By Charles Aldinger



WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. fighter jets on Monday attacked an air defense command and control facility in southern Iraq in response to attempts to shoot down American and British warplanes patrolling the area, the U.S. military said.







It was the 25th strike of the year by U.S. and British attack jets in northern and southern "no-fly zones" of Iraq, established after the 1991 Gulf War to protect minorities in the country from attack by President Saddam Hussein's military.



Those tit-for-tat exchanges have increased in recent months amid mounting threats from President Bush to depose Saddam, accused by Washington of developing chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.



The U.S. Central Command in Tampa, Florida, and officials at the Pentagon said Monday's attack occurred at about 9 a.m. Iraqi time against a command and control site 120 miles southwest of Baghdad.



All aircraft left the area safely and damage to the target was being assessed, according to the command, which has responsibility for U.S. military operations in the region.



Iraq has charged that civilians have been killed several times this year in U.S. and British air strikes on civilian targets. The Central Command reiterated on Monday that "coalition aircraft never target civilian populations or infrastructure, and go

to painstaking lengths to avoid injury to civilians and damage to civilian facilities."



Although speculation about a possible U.S. military invasion to remove Saddam from power has risen this year with growing verbal attacks on Saddam by the Bush administration, the U.S. president has stressed that he has not approved any plans to launch such an attack.



There are no current signs of a U.S. military buildup in the Gulf region. Experts testified at U.S. Senate hearings last week on the Iraq situation that as many as 250,000 troops and hundreds of warplanes may be needed to remove Saddam from power.



Those private analysts along with a growing number of U.S. lawmakers, noting that allies in Europe and the Middle East have voiced opposition to an invasion, stressed the need to plan carefully for any political void in the region should Iraq's president be killed or otherwise deposed.






Baghdad Says U.S., British Jets Bomb Southern Iraq

July 28, 2002



BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq said U.S. and British warplanes struck targets in the south of the country on Sunday but no causalities were reported.


An Iraqi military spokesman, quoted by the official Iraqi News Agency INA, said American and British planes carried out 20 sorties from bases in Kuwait at 10:45 a.m. on Sunday and flew over provinces and cities in the south of the country.

"The enemy attacked our civilian and service installations in Wasit province," the spokesman said.

Iraq's ground air defenses fired at the planes and forced them to return to their bases, he added.

There was no immediate comment by the United States or Britain, whose jets patrol "no-fly" zones set up in northern and southern Iraq after the 1991 Gulf War.

The assault was the second reported in less than a week in the southern no-fly zone. Baghdad said one person was killed and 22 others wounded when U.S. and British planes struck civilian targets in the south on Tuesday.

Baghdad does not recognize the zones which the United States and Britain say were imposed to protect Muslim Shi'ites in the south and a Kurdish enclave in the north from possible attacks by Iraqi government forces.

Western planes have frequently bombed targets in the no-fly zones since Baghdad stepped up its defiance of the restrictions in December 1998.









U.S. Planes Attack Iraqi Site

July 23, 2002



WASHINGTON - For the second time in recent days U.S. warplanes bombed a military communications site in southern Iraq, officials said Tuesday.



A brief announcement by the U.S. Central Command said Monday's attack was in response to earlier instances of Iraqi air defense forces using radar and surface-to-air guns against U.S. and British planes that monitor a "no fly" zone over southern Iraq.

Monday's, attack and a similar one last Thursday against the same communications target, were acts of self defense, the Central Command said. The site was near Diwaniyah, about 80 miles southeast of Baghdad.

U.S. and British fighter jets have enforced "no fly" zones over northern and southern Iraq since shortly after the 1991 Gulf War. They are intended to prevent Iraqi government forces from attacking minority Kurds in the north and rebel Shiite Muslims in the south. Iraq considers the zones an unwarranted violation of its sovereignty and has vowed to shoot down a U.S. or British pilot.







Iraq Says 5 Killed, 17 Hurt in Western Attack

July 19, 2002

By Hassan Hafidh



BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq said on Friday U.S. and British planes attacked civilian targets killing five people and wounding 17 others in the south of the country on Thursday.



"At 11:15 p.m. local time yesterday evil American and British warplanes violated our airspace coming from Saudi Arabia and carried out 34 sorties," an Iraqi military spokesman said in a statement on the official Iraqi News Agency (INA).

A statement on the Web Site for U.S. Central Command in Florida, which overseas U.S. military activity in the Gulf area, said coalition aircraft struck a military target in the southern "no-fly" zone with precision-guided weapons.

"In response to recent Iraqi hostile acts against Coalition aircraft monitoring the Southern No-Fly Zone, Operation SOUTHERN WATCH Coalition aircraft used precision-guided weapons today to strike a military cable repeater station in southern Iraq..."

Britain's Ministry of Defense said it had nothing to add to the U.S. statement.

Military activity in the region has become more frequent in recent months amid speculation that the United States might invade Iraq to oust President Saddam Hussein, whose country has the second largest oil reserves in the world and who is accused by the United States of developing weapons of mass destruction.

British and U.S. planes patrol two "no-fly" zones set up after the 1991 Gulf War in northern and southern Iraq.

Baghdad does not recognize the zones which the United States and Britain say were imposed to protect a Kurdish enclave in the north and Shi'ite Muslims in the south from possible attacks by Iraqi government forces.

Western planes have frequently bombed targets in the "no-fly" zones since Baghdad stepped up its defiance of the restrictions in December 1998.

"The enemy attacked civilian installations in the province of Qadissiya (Diwaniya), killing five citizens and wounding 17 others," the Iraqi spokesman said.

He said a house was destroyed and another was damaged during the attack in the center of Diwaniya city, some 180 km (110 miles) south of Baghdad.

The U.S. Central Command said it never targets civilian populations or infrastructure and that strikes in the "no-fly" zones are executed as a self-defense measure in response to hostile Iraqi threats and acts against Coalition forces.

"The last Coalition strike in the Southern No-Fly Zone was against a mobile radar unit associated with a mobile surface-to-air missile launcher on July 14, 2002," it said.

But a senior ruling Baath Party official said that there was no Iraqi military activity in the area where Western planes dropped their guided missiles.

"The evil American administration has yet added another crime to their record which is full of crimes when it attacked a residential quarter where there is no military activity...," Muhssein al-Khafaji told Iraqi television.

Khafaji said a family, consisting of a child and her father and mother, were killed during the assault. The two other victims were from the next house, he said.

The television showed pictures of destroyed houses and rescue teams were digging to take out the victims and save the wounded. It also showed some of the wounded laying in a near-by hospital.

It said a funeral procession organized in the main street of Diwaniya on Friday where participants shouted anti-American and British slogans.

The television said that the people in the province condemned the United States and Britain and expressed support for the leadership of President Saddam Hussein to defend Iraq.

Friday's assault was the third reported by Iraq in a week. Baghdad said one civilian was killed and 13 others wounded in two raids by U.S. and British planes on civilian targets in the south of the country on Saturday and Sunday.

The U.S. military said U.S. planes bombed Iraqi air defense facilities after coalition aircraft came under fire and were threatened by Iraqi air-defense units.

Saddam said on Wednesday in a televised speech marking Iraq's July 17 revolution that Washington and its allies would not be able to topple his government.




Russia Blasts U.S., British Air Strikes on Iraq

July 16, 2002



MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia has condemned British and U.S. air strikes on Iraq, accusing them of complicating peace efforts in the Middle East and the Gulf, amid mounting speculation over U.S. plans to oust Saddam Hussein.








The U.S. armed forces bombed what they said were military targets in Iraq's southern "no-fly" zone on Saturday and Sunday, striking a mobile radar unit and air defense facilities.



Iraqi spokesmen said one person had been killed and six were wounded when allied planes struck civilian targets on Sunday. A further seven were hurt in strikes the previous day.



"Russia is convinced that such operations in illegitimate "no-fly" zones complicate the efforts of the international community to find a political and diplomatic solution to the Iraqi problem, and to ease tensions in the Middle East and the Gulf region," the

Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement late on Monday.



U.S. and British jets patrol "no-fly" zones in northern and southern Iraq set up by Western powers after the 1991 Gulf War. The Iraqi government does not recognize the zones, ostensibly set up to protect minority populations from possible

attacks by Baghdad.



Russia, which has close economic ties with Baghdad, has long spoken out against U.S. plans for military action against Iraq, judged by Washington to be part of the "axis of evil" along with Iran and North Korea.



Washington, which accuses the "axis" of seeking to obtain weapons of mass destruction, says Iraq has been a threat since it invaded Kuwait in 1990, triggering the Gulf War.






U.S. Planes Strike Iraqi Air-Defense Facility

July 13, 2002

TAMPA, Fla. (Reuters) - U.S. warplanes bombed Iraqi air-defense facilities on Saturday after coalition aircraft patrolling a "no-fly" zone in the south of the country came under fire, the U.S. military said.



In Baghdad, an Iraqi military spokesman said seven people were wounded when U.S. and British warplanes struck civilian targets in the south of the country. The spokesman also said anti-aircraft missile defenses might have hit one of the attacking Western warplanes.

In a statement released from its headquarters in Tampa, Florida, the U.S. Central Command said the warplanes used precision-guided weapons to strike Iraqi air defense facilities in response to Iraqi attacks on coalition aircraft. The site was targeted because it helped direct the Iraqi attacks against the coalition warplanes, according to the statement.

In London, a spokesman for Britain's Ministry of Defense said none of its aircraft were involved in the incident.

U.S. and British jets patrol no-fly zones in northern and southern Iraq set up by Western powers after the 1991 Gulf War. The incident was the latest in a long series of tit-for-tat exchanges in the no-fly zones.

The zones, which the Iraqi government does not recognize, were imposed to protect Shiite Muslims in the south and a Kurdish enclave in the north from possible attack by government forces.

"At 10:00 local time warplanes of the evil American and British administrations flew 30 sorties over several southern Iraqi places using air bases in Kuwait," the Iraqi military spokesman said in a statement carried by the official Iraqi News Agency.

"The criminal American and British warplanes attacked civilian targets in Dhiqar province and wounded seven civilians," he said.

The U.S. Central Command said, "Coalition strikes in the no-fly zones are executed as a self-defense measure in response to hostile Iraqi acts against coalition forces. ... Coalition aircraft never target civilian populations or infrastructure and go to painstaking lengths to avoid injury to civilians or damage to civilian facilities."




Baghdad says US, British jets bombed northern Iraq

July 5, 2002

ABC News

Iraq says US and British warplanes struck civilian targets in the north of the country on Thursday [July 4, 2002].

"At 12:15 am [0815 GMT] today American and British planes violated our air spaces coming from military bases in Turkey, flying over Amadiya, Zakho, Ayn Zalah, Rawandiz and Duhouk," an Iraqi military spokesman said in a statement carried by the official Iraqi News Agency (INA).

"The hostile planes attacked service and civilian installations in Nineveh province, inflicting severe damage to a house of a civilian and killing cattle," the spokesman said.

A spokesman for Northern Watch, based at the Incirlik airbase in southern Turkey said they "responded to continued Iraqi attacks with precision ordinance dropped on the elements of the integrated Iraqi air defence system".

He said Iraq's ground air defences fired at the planes and forced them to return to their bases.

US and British jets patrol no-fly zones set up by Western powers after the 1991 Gulf War.

The zones, which Baghdad does not recognise, were imposed to protect Muslim Shi'ites in the south and a Kurdish enclave in the north from possible attack by Baghdad forces.

The reported attack was the latest in a long series of tit- for-tat exchanges in northern and southern no-fly zones of Iraq over more than a decade.






U.S. Jets Bomb Iraq Military Center

June 28, 2002

Yahoo-News



WASHINGTON - U.S. warplanes monitoring a "no-fly" zone over southern Iraq bombed a military command center Friday after Iraq fired anti-aircraft artillery, the U.S. Central Command said.



In a brief statement, Central Command said the U.S. airstrike was at 3:50 a.m. EDT.

"This facility was struck because it helped direct anti-aircraft artillery attacks today against coalition aircraft authorized by the United Nations Security Council to enforce the no-fly zones in southern Iraq," it said.

U.S. aircraft have carried out such attacks frequently in recent weeks in both northern and southern Iraq. U.S. officials say the attacks are in self defense, but Iraq asserts that its air defense forces are challenging U.S. aircraft because the "no-fly" zones violate its national sovereignty.

The restricted zones were established shortly after the 1991 Gulf War to protect the Kurdish minority in northern Iraq against aerial attack from government forces and to protect Shiite rebels in the south.






Western Warplanes Hit Iraqi Air Defenses

June 26, 2002

By Charles Aldinger

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Western warplanes on Wednesday attacked an Iraqi air defense site in a northern "no-fly" zone of the country in the latest of a long series of skirmishes between the two militaries, the U.S. military said.



The U.S. European Command said in a statement from its headquarters in Germany that Iraqi forces fired anti-aircraft artillery at American and British warplanes north of Ayn Zalah and they responded by dropping precision-guided bombs on an air defense target.

The statement was not more specific, but said all of the jets departed the area safely.

The tit-for-tat exchanges, which started after Western aircraft began patrolling northern and southern no-fly zones in Iraq after the 1991 Gulf War, have increased in recent months amid speculation that Washington is preparing for a possible invasion of Iraq to oust President Saddam Hussein ( news - web sites).

The United States accuses Saddam of developing weapons of mass destruction and sponsoring terrorism.

In Baghdad, Saddam warned Iraqis on Tuesday to prepare for an escalation in what he called the "American-Zionist" conspiracy against Iraq, branded by President Bush as part of an "axis of evil."

SADDAM LASHES OUT

"The American-Zionist conspiracy against you (Iraqis) will gain more ferocity and rancor because the Americans and the Zionists ... see you united, organized and you are besieged and are developing," the official Iraqi News Agency quoted Saddam as saying during a cabinet meeting.

"So, the Americans and the Jews will not let you alone ... as you are an example ... in the field of refusing humility," he added.

Iraq has been under strict United Nations sanctions imposed after its 1990 invasion of Kuwait.

The Washington Post reported in mid-June that Bush had signed an order earlier this year directing the Central Intelligence Agency to conduct covert operations to topple Saddam.

Bush has openly declared his desire to remove Saddam by military force if necessary, but he has offered few details of how he plans to accomplish that.

He has accused Iraq of being a member of an "axis of evil", along with Iran and North Korea ( news - web sites), for backing international terrorism and trying to develop chemical, biological and U.S. and British aircraft continue to police the no-fly zones in northern and southern Iraq, set up in 1991 to protect the areas' Kurdish and Shiite populations from what the allies describe as military threats from Baghdad.

Washington and London say that none of their aircraft have been downed since the war




Western Warplanes Launch Raid in Iraq

June 20, 2002



BAGHDAD/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iraq said four people were killed on Thursday when Western warplanes launched a raid in south Iraq which the U.S. military said was prompted by Iraqi anti-aircraft fire at jets policing a "no-fly" zone.


A statement released by the U.S. military's Central Command headquarters in Tampa, Florida, said the planes attacked an Iraqi military command-and-control center in a "no-fly" zone southeast of Baghdad.

It was the second day in a row that U.S. or British attack jets struck no-fly zones in northern or southern Iraq in an increasing round of such exchanges in recent months. The coalition jets have been patrolling the zones, which Iraq does not recognize, since the 1991 Gulf War.

The U.S. statement said the command facility, located about 165 miles southeast of the capital, was attacked with precision-guided weapons.

Damage was still being assessed and all aircraft departed the zone safely, it added.

"This facility was struck because it helped direct anti-aircraft artillery attacks against coalition aircraft authorized by the United Nations Security Council" to enforce the zones, the statement said of the strike, that occurred at 1:30 p.m. in Iraq.

An Iraqi military spokesman said in a statement carried by the official Iraqi News Agency (INA):

"At 11:05 a.m. today U.S. and British planes carried out 44 sorties from bases in Kuwait, flying over Nasiriya, Shatra, Basra, Qurna, Amarah, Salman...

"Hostile planes attacked our service and civilian installations in Meisan province, killing four people and wounding 10 others," the spokesman added.

Iraq's ground air defenses fired at the planes and forced them to return to their bases, he said.

The U.S. European Command said on Wednesday from its headquarters in Germany that U.S. and British warplanes were targeted by anti-aircraft guns in the northern no-fly zone and struck air defense targets in response. Iraq said one civilian was wounded when the planes attacked civilian targets in the north.

U.S. and British aircraft police two "no-fly" zones in northern and southern Iraq, set up in 1991 to protect the areas' Kurdish and Shi'ite populations from what the allies describe as military threats from Baghdad.

Washington and London say that none of their aircraft have been downed since the 1991 war, but the exchanges of fire have become more frequent in recent months amid speculation that the United States might be preparing to invade Iraq to overthrow President Saddam Hussein, accused by Washington of developing weapons of mass destruction and sponsoring terrorism.




U.S. Warplanes Attack Iraqi Air Defense Targets

June 14, 2002



WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. warplanes on Friday attacked a military air defense radar facility in a "no-fly" zone in southern Iraq in response to threats against western aircraft patrolling the zone, the U.S. military said.



The U.S. Central Command, based in Tampa, Florida, said in a statement that the strike was in response to attempts to shoot down U.S. and British warplanes on Thursday.

Damage to the radar command and control target at Al Amarah about 165 miles southeast of Baghdad was still being determined, the command said.

The latest in a long series of tit-for-tat exchanges in policing by western warplanes of no-fly zones in northern and southern Iraq since the 1991 Gulf War came at 1:20 p.m. Iraq time (5:20 a.m. EDT), the command said.

Those exchanges have increased in recent months amid speculation that the United States might be preparing to invade Iraq to overthrow President Saddam Hussein, accused by Washington of actively trying to develop chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.

British Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon said in Brussels last week that Iraq, which does not recognize the no-fly zones, had become more aggressive in threatening U.S. and British jets and that might require a response from the allied forces.

But he also stressed after talks with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld that he was specifically referring to action related to the western-imposed no-fly zones and not to any broader military action






Iraq Says U.S. Attacks Iraqi Air Defenses

May 31, 2002



BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq said on Friday three people were wounded when U.S. and British planes struck targets in the south of the country, while Washington said it had launched a raid after Western jets were threatened.

U.S. official said attack aircraft had bombed a radar system in southern Iraq on Thursday in the latest incident involving warplanes patrolling a no-fly zone over the Middle Eastern country.

The U.S. Central Command in Tampa, Florida said aircraft from the force of U.S. and British planes used precision-guided weapons to hit "components of an offensive radar system." It did not say whether U.S. or British planes were involved.

An Iraqi military spokesman said in a statement carried by the official Iraqi News Agency (INA) that the planes carried out 30 sorties from bases in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia at 23:30 p.m. (1930 GMT) on Thursday and flew over provinces and cities in the south of the country.

"The enemy attacked our civilian and service installations in Thi qar province, wounding three people" the spokesman said.

He added that Iraq's ground air defenses fired at the planes and forced them to return to their bases.

The attack followed a series of bombings on Iraqi air defenses in response to what the U.S. military says are attacks on the patrolling aircraft from the ground.

It was the fourth such attack reported by the U.S. military since May 19. While such tit-for-tat strikes have increased in recent weeks, the pattern has gone up and down since no-fly zones were imposed in north and south Iraq after the 1991 Gulf War.

Iraq does not recognize the no-fly zones, set up to protect the areas' Kurdish and Shi'ite population from what the allies describe as military threats from Baghdad, and vowed in 1998 to challenge the patrols with anti-aircraft installations.

There has been recent speculation Washington may be planning military action to remove President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) from power. Washington says Iraq is trying to make chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.




US / Britain bomb Northern Iraq

May 28, 2002

press release



UNITED STATES EUROPEAN COMMAND -- Iraqi forces threatened Operation Northern Watch (ONW) coalition aircraft today. Iraqi forces fired anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) from a site in the vicinity of Saddam Dam while ONW aircraft conducted routine enforcement of the Northern No-Fly Zone.

Coalition aircraft responded to the Iraqi attack by delivering precision ordnance on elements of the Iraqi integrated air defense system.

All coalition aircraft departed the area safely.

Coalition aircraft have been enforcing the Northern No-Fly Zone for more than 10 years. Since Dec. 28, 1998, Saddam Hussein has opted to challenge this enforcement by firing at coalition aircraft with surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and anti-aircraft artillery and by targeting them with radar. Operation Northern Watch aircraft respond in self-defense to these threats, while continuing to enforce the No-fly Zone.

For more information, please contact the Combined Task Force Combined Information Bureau at +90-322-316-3704.




Iraq Says 18 People Hurt in Southern Air Raid

By Hassan Hafidh

May 25, 2002

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq said on Saturday 18 people were wounded when U.S. and British warplanes attacked civilian targets in the south of the country.

An Iraqi military spokesman said in a statement carried by the official Iraqi News Agency (INA) the planes carried out 28 sorties over southern Iraq on Friday night from bases in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

"At 11:00 p.m. local time (3 a.m. EDT) on Friday evil American and British warplanes attacked our civilian and service installations in Thiqar province (Nassirya), wounding 18 civilians," the spokesman said.

He added Iraq's ground air defenses fired at the planes and forced them to return to their bases.

U.S. and British jets have policed no-fly zones in southern and northern Iraq since they were set up after the 1991 Gulf War to protect Kurds and Shi'ite Muslims from attack by Baghdad.

There was no immediate confirmation of the Iraqi report by the United States or Britain.

If confirmed, Friday's raid would be the third this week. Washington said its warplanes made their second attack on air defenses in southern Iraq in a week on Thursday while Baghdad said two civilians were killed and two wounded in that raid.

Although President Bush recently labeled Iraq part of an "axis of evil" along with North Korea and Iran, U.S. officials have recently dampened speculation the United States might attack Baghdad to oust President Saddam Hussein.

U.S. officials say Iraq continues to work on development of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. Iraq admits it once sought to develop biological agents but says it no longer has any such weapons program.

Baghdad was forced to accept U.N. inspectors following its defeat by a U.S.-led international force in the Gulf War, but inspectors had to abandon the country in 1998.

Iraq said on Monday four people were wounded when U.S. warplanes attacked civilian targets. But Washington said it had launched a raid against a military air-defense target in the south after a missile was apparently fired at U.S. and British jets policing the southern zone.






Military: U.S. Jets Destroy Iraq Air Defense Targets

By Charles Aldinger

May 23, 2002



WASHINGTON (Reuters) - American warplanes destroyed two Iraqi air defense targets in Iraq's southern "no-fly" zone on Thursday in the second such raid this week after Western jets were fired on, the U.S. military said.

As speculation continued about a possible American invasion of Iraq, the U.S. Central Command said in Tampa, Florida, that the jets dropped precision-guided weapons on an anti-aircraft missile system and a missile control center at approximately 1:15 a.m. Thursday Iraq time.

All aircraft departed the target areas safely, Central Command said. It was the second time this week that U.S. fighters struck targets in the zone in the latest of a long series of tit-for-tat exchanges in northern and southern no-fly zones of Iraq since the 1991 Gulf War.

U.S. officials have moved to dampen growing media reports in recent months about possible U.S. plans for any imminent military invasion of Iraq to remove President Saddam Hussein from power. Washington says Saddam is actively trying to make chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.

In a speech to Germany's parliament in Berlin on Thursday President Bush called Saddam a threat to civilization who must be confronted by all means available, but earlier assured German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder: "I have no war plans on my desk."

CONTROVERSY OVER POSSIBLE ATTACK

Schroeder refused to say whether he would support U.S. military action to oust Saddam. A number of U.S. allies, including friendly Arab states, have cautioned against such a move.

Senior U.S. defense officials have said privately that such an attack could take as many as 500,000 U.S. troops and hundreds of warplanes and have hinted that any such move is not imminent while Washington is concentrating on the war on terrorism in Afghanistan. Russia and a number of America's Western allies have cautioned against such a move.

Army Gen. Tommy Franks, head of the Central Command and responsible for U.S. military activities in the Gulf and Middle East region, told reporters this week that he had received no orders to draw up a plan to depose Saddam.

This week's strikes came as Iraq and the United Nations continued discussions over the possible return of U.N. weapons inspectors to that country.

Baghdad has refused to allow U.N. weapons inspectors into Iraq since they pulled out in December 1998, but is currently discussing with the United Nations the issue of opening the door again to those inspectors.

'AGGRESSION BY IRAQ'

Iraq said on Monday four people were wounded when U.S. warplanes attacked civilian targets that day. But Washington said it had launched a raid against a military air-defense target in the south after a missile was apparently fired at U.S. and British jets policing the southern zone.

"Aggression by Iraq led to the destruction of two military targets by the coalition forces charged with enforcing the southern no-fly zone," the Central Command said of Thursday's strikes.

The release said the attempt to shoot down coalition aircraft was made shortly before midnight on Wednesday in Iraq and that U.S. warplanes two hours later struck two predetermined targets to weaken Iraqi air defenses in the southern zone.

They were an anti-aircraft missile site near Nasiriyah about 170 miles southeast of Baghdad and a military aircraft and missile control center near Tallil 170 miles south-southeast of the capital.

"Coalition aircraft struck carefully pre-planned targets to neutralize hostile threats endangering our air crews," the Central Command statement said. It said that the missile system had been moved into the no-fly zone in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions and was threatening the jets.

U.S. and British jets have been patrolling northern and southern no-fly zones set up after the Gulf War to protect Kurds and Shi'ite Muslims from attack by Saddam's military.









Iraq Says Four Hurt in Western Attack on South

Mon May 20, 2002



BAGHDAD/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iraq said four people were wounded when U.S. warplanes attacked civilian targets on Monday, while Washington said it had launched a raid after Western jets policing a southern "no-fly" zone were threatened.



Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Gregory Newbold told a news briefing at the Pentagon in Washington that the U.S. warplanes had used precision-guided weapons to attack an aircraft-directional finding site at approximately 2:30 a.m. Iraq time.

All of the planes departed the area safely and there was no immediate assessment of damage to the target, he said. Another defense official, who asked not to be identified, told Reuters the target was located at as-Salman, about 170 miles south of the capital, Baghdad.

An Iraqi military spokesman said in a statement carried by the official Iraqi News Agency (INA) that the planes carried out 44 sorties from bases in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia flying over Nissirya, Samawah and As-Salman in Muthanna province and areas in Basra province in the south.

"The enemy attacked civilian and service installations in Muthanna province wounding four people," the spokesman said.

He added Iraq's ground air defenses fired at the planes and forced them to return to their bases.

The attack was the latest in a long series of exchanges in northern and southern no-fly zones of Iraq over more than a decade and came as Iraq and the United Nations continued discussions over the possible return of U.N. weapons inspectors to Iraq.

It also occurred as speculation continued about possible plans for a U.S. military invasion of Iraq to remove President Saddam Hussein from power. Washington says Iraq is actively trying to make chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.

RESPONDED TO MISSILE ATTACK

U.S. and British jets have been patrolling northern and southern no-fly zones set up after the 1991 Gulf War (news - web sites) to protect Kurds and Shi'ite Muslims from attack by Saddam's military.

"Coalition aircraft observed a contrail from a rocket or missile directed against them in the southern no-fly zone and took action," Newbold told reporters. "Aircraft dropped precision weapons at the direction-finding system that supported the missile launch."

Iraq does not recognize the no-fly zones.

"They are always, always trying something new (and) different in order to confront our aircraft. And we are always willing to make sure they can't do it effectively," he said.

Baghdad has refused to allow U.N. weapons inspectors into Iraq since they pulled out in December 1998, but is currently discussing with the United Nations the issue of opening the door again to those inspectors.

The inspectors left more than three years ago on the eve of U.S.- British air strikes aimed at punishing the country for failing to cooperate with the inspectors.

Iraq's U.N. Ambassador Mohammed Aldouri told Reuters on Friday that his country could accept the return of inspectors "in principle." But he said Baghdad first wanted a response from Washington on several issues, including the "horizon of the lifting of (U.N.) sanctions" against Iraq.




US Bombs Northern Iraq

May 1, 2002

press release

UNITED STATES EUROPEAN COMMAND

Iraqi forces attacked Operation Northern Watch (ONW) coalition aircraft today. Iraqi forces fired anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) from sites in the vicinity of Saddam Dam around 3:20 p.m. local time while ONW aircraft conducted routine enforcement of the Northern No-Fly Zone.

Coalition aircraft responded to the Iraqi attacks by dropping precision guided ordnance on elements of the Iraqi integrated air defense system.

All coalition aircraft departed the area safely.

Coalition aircraft have been enforcing the Northern No-Fly Zone for more than 10 years. Since Dec. 28, 1998, Saddam Hussein has opted to challenge this enforcement by firing at coalition aircraft with surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and anti-aircraft artillery and by targeting them with radar. Operation Northern Watch aircraft respond in self-defense to these threats, while continuing to enforce the No-fly Zone.

For more information, please contact the Combined Task Force Combined Information Bureau at +90-322-316-3704.






US Planes Bomb Northern Iraq
Fri Apr 19, 3:00 PM ET

Yahoo News



ISTANBUL, Turkey - U.S. and British planes patrolling a no-fly zone over northern Iraq bombed Iraqi air defense systems Friday in response to anti-aircraft fire, U.S. officials said.

The bombs were dropped after Iraqi forces east of Mosul fired on a routine air patrol, the U.S. European Command, based in Stuttgart, Germany, said in a written statement.

"All coalition aircraft departed the area safely, the statement said.

In Baghdad, the official Iraqi News Agency quoted a statement from the Iraqi military that described the raid as an attack on civilian facilities.

"Enemy warplanes bombed civil and service installations in the province of Mosul," the statement said.

The agency made no mention of casualties.

It was the first bombing of northern Iraq since February and the third this year, U.S. officials said, and came amid intense debate on whether Iraq will be the next target in what the U.S. administration is calling a war against terrorism.

U.S. and British planes based in southeast Turkey have been flying patrols over northern Iraq since 1991. The two countries say the patrols are designed to protect the Kurdish population of northern Iraq from Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein (news - web sites).

Washington has hinted it could launch a military campaign to overthrow Saddam if the Iraqi leader continues to deny admission to United Nations (news - web sites) weapons inspectors, who are tasked with checking if the Baghdad regime has dismantled its weapons of mass destruction. The inspectors have been barred from Iraq since 1998.

Talks between Iraq and the United Nations on the return of the inspectors were due to begin mid-April, but Iraq has asked for a delay on the grounds that talks would be dominated by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict if they were held at this stage.




U.S., British Jets Bomb Southern Iraq
April 16, 2002

BAGHDAD, April 15 (Xinhuanet) -- Warplanes of the United States and Britain bombed southern Iraq on Monday, an Iraqi military spokesman said, without mentioning if there were any casualties.

The unidentified spokesman told the official Iraqi News Agency (INA)that at 11:45 (0745 GMT) and 15:05 (1105 GMT) local time, the hostile planes made a total of 37 armed sorties over Iraq's southern provinces of Thi-Qar, Muthana and Najaf.

The U.S. and British planes bombed "civil and service installations" in the Thi-Qar Province, the spokesman added.

Thi-Qar Province, along with other six provinces in southern Iraq, have been located inside the southern no-fly zone, set up by the U.S.-led Western allies after the 1991 Gulf War with the claimed aim of protecting the Shiite Muslims from the persecution of the Iraqi government.

A similar air exclusion zone was also established in northern Iraq to allegedly protect the Kurdish population there.

Iraq has never recognized the two no-fly zones and has regularly opened fire at the Western planes enforcing them.

U.S. President George W. Bush has branded Iraq as part of an "axis of evil" and strongly warned that Iraq may become the next target of the U.S.-led war on terror.








Iraq says three wounded in no-fly zone air strike.

BAGHDAD, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Iraq said three civilians were wounded on Thursday when Western warplanes struck targets inside the country's northern no-fly zone.

The U.S. military said its aircraft attacked Iraqi air defence sites in the zone after radar and anti-aircraft guns targeted patrolling Western planes.

"At 12:00 a.m. (0900 GMT) today U.S. and British warplanes carried 13 sorties coming from Turkey...and flew over Zakho, Dibis, Amadiya, Aqrah, Duhouk and Ain Zala," an Iraqi military spokesman said in a statement carried by the official Iraqi News Agency INA.

"The enemy attacked civilian and service installations... wounding three civilians," the spokesman said.

He added Iraq's ground air defences fired at the planes and forced them to return to their bases.

The U.S.-European command based in Germany said all warplanes left the area safely. There was no immediate report of damage on the ground.

U.S. and British jets have been policing no-fly zones in northern and southern Iraq for more than a decade. The zones were set up after the 1991 Gulf War to protect Kurds and Shi'ite Muslims from attack by President Saddam Hussein's military.

The exchange, the latest in a long series, came amid recent media reports of growing debate within Washington over what to do about U.S. determination to remove Saddam from power.

Although President George W. Bush recently branded Iraq as part of an "axis of evil" along with North Korea and Iran, there has been no indication that the United States might attack Baghdad.

U.S. officials say that Iraq continues to work on the development of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. Iraq admits that it once sought to develop biological agents but says it no longer has any such weapons programme.

Baghdad was forced to accept U.N. arms inspectors following its defeat by a U.S.-led international force in the Gulf War, but the inspectors abandoned the country in 1998.

Despite Iraq's denial, U.S. officials say Baghdad has used the last three years to press ahead with weapons development.






Attack on Iraq Unavoidable - North Iraq Bombed - Four Iraqis Killed.
Source: AL-BAWABA NEWS, Feb. 6, 2002



A senior adviser to United States Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld indicated that war with Iraq was probable even if
Baghdad backs down and permits UN inspectors back in to its country to hunt for weapons of mass destruction.
"I don't think there's anything Saddam Hussein could do that would convince us there's no longer any danger coming from
Iraq," stated Richard Perle, Head of the Defense Policy Board of the U.S. Department of Defense and a top Rumsfeld adviser.
In an interview with the German edition of the Financial Times made with Perle at the Munich Security Conference, the latter
said the only thing that would persuade Washington regarding Iraq would be a change of regime.

U.S. President George W. Bush was now on "a very clear path" heading towards war with Iraq, said Perle as quoted by the
Financial Times Deutschland.

The newspaper said that if Perle's remarks were accurate, even Iraq's meeting the U.S. demand for the return of international
inspectors would do nothing to prevent future American military strikes.

Furthermore, Perle said Afghanistan was a possible model for a war with Iraq. Such a scenario would include immense US air
strikes on Iraq, special operations units on the ground and the use of domestic opposition groups to carry the main burden of
the ground war.

"The potential fighting forces would be Kurds in the north and the Shias in the south," he explained.

A leadership structure could be the Iraqi National Congress (INC), he added. The INC has long been regarded as weak and
divided, the Financial Times Deutschland mentioned.

Perle repeated the notion expressed by American officials at the Conference that Washington was concerned over European
opposition to a war with Iraq. "If we have to choose between defending the US without our allies and not defending ourselves
with our allies we will choose defense," said Perle.

"If the European message is: we accept risks posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and don't (want you) to do
anything about it because it makes us nervous, then the European influence will be zero," Perle expressed, "Up until now
the European recommendations have not been helpful."

The German Foreign Ministry on Monday warned against a military strike against Iraq by the United States. "There are no
signs and no evidence that Iraq is involved in the terrorism that we have been discussing for several months," said German
Deputy Foreign Minister Ludger Volmer.

Asked about Volmer's comments a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Sabine Sparwasser, said President Bush had
assured, during talks in Washington on Thursday, that there were no plans to attack Iraq.

U.S. and British planes patrolling a "no-fly zone" over the northern part of Iraq bombed Monday Iraqi air defense systems
in response to anti-aircraft fire, U.S. officials said.

It was the first time the allied U.S. and British planes had bombed Iraq's north since the September 11 attacks on the
United States, said Captain Brian Cullin of the U.S. European Command.

U.S bombs were dropped Monday after Iraqi forces northeast of Mosul fired on a routine air patrol, the U.S. European Command stated. "All coalition aircraft departed the area safely," the U.S. statement said.

Iraq's official news agency said four people in Mosul were killed during the bombing.

U.S. and British planes positioned in southeast Turkey have been flying patrols over northern Iraq ever since 1991. The two
countries say the patrols are designed to protect the Kurdish population from Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

"There's a day-to-day commitment made by three very strong coalition partners ... toward a population we still feel we have an
obligation to protect," Cullin said from Stuttgart, Germany.






U.S., British Warplanes Attack Iraqi Antiaircraft Site
Source: AL-BAWABA NEWS 25/01/2002

U.S. and British warplanes attacked antiaircraft batteries in southern Iraq on Thursday, the third raid of this kind this week, according to the U.S. Air Force. On Wednesday, AP reported that warplanes struck near Tallil, an estimated 170 miles southeast of Baghdad. The same site was attacked Monday.
Meanwhile, the White House declared Iraq must accept a return of UN arms inspectors. "The president stands strong and firm in his insistence that Saddam Hussein live up with the agreement that he himself made," Ari Fleischer, a spokesman for President George W. Bush, told reporters. Asked about any upcoming US
decisions on possible steps to adopt in dealing with Iraq, Fleischer said: "No, nothing. There is nothing to report."
In a related development, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz rejected a "partial US implementation" of a key UN resolution on sanctions in talks with Russian officials aimed at averting a new UN sanctions regime. According to AFP, following talks with his Russian counterpart Igor Ivanov, Aziz blamed Washington of not respecting UN Security Council resolution 687 which, he emphasized, links UN weapons inspections in Iraq to the lifting of an economic embargo against Baghdad.
"For seven and a half years, UN inspectors controlled and destroyed weapons as much as they wanted." Despite that, the second point was not respected, he told reporters. "We cannot agree with a partial implementation of the resolution in which the United States chooses to fulfil one part of the resolution and not
the other," he conveyed..







IRAQI WOUNDED IN US, BRITISH AIR STRIKE

BAGHDAD, Nov 27 (AFP) - US and British warplanes struck targets in southern Iraq on Tuesday, wounding a civilian, an Iraqi military spokesman said.

"Enemy warplanes bombed civilian installations in Zi Qar province, wounding an Iraqi civilian," the spokesman said, quoted by the official news agency INA.

He said Iraqi anti-aircraft fire retaliated "and forced the enemy planes to flee to their bases in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait."






U.S., British warplanes bomb Iraq Monday

November 12, 2001 at 09:30 JST BAGHDAD — Iraq said U.S. and British warplanes attacked "civilian installations" in Basra Province in southern Iraq on Sunday [11/12/01], wounding one civilian. "American and British planes violated our airspace...and attacked civilian and public service installations in Basra Province, wounding one of our citizens," an Iraqi military spokesman was quoted by the official Iraqi News Agency as saying. (Kyodo News)





IRAQI CHILD INJURED IN BOMB EXPLOSION
BAGHDAD, October 15 (Xinhua)--A child was severely injured when a bomb, believed to be dropped by the United States and Britain, exploded in a stadium in the city of As-Simawa in southern Muthana Province, the official Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported Monday.
The report said that the explosion claimed half of the child's left arm and two fingers of the right hand. However, the report
neither mentioned when the explosion took place, nor did it elaborate on the present conditions of the unidentified child.
Muthana is located inside the so-called southern no-fly zone, which was set up by the U.S.-led Western allies in the wake of
the 1991 Gulf War with the claimed aim of protecting the Shiite Muslims from the persecution of Iraqi President Saddam
Hussein.
A similar no-fly zone was also established in northern Iraq to protect the Kurds there.
It is believed that the Gulf War, triggered by Iraqi 1990 invasion of Kuwait and the constant U.S.-British bombardments of the two no-fly zones have left over a large number of unexploded shells and mines in Iraq, especially in the south. Iraq has often
reported civilians wounded or even killed by bombs and mines allegedly left over during the U.S.-British bombing campaign.






Two Iraqis killed, one hurt in US-British raid: Baghdad




BAGHDAD, Oct 3, 2001 (AFP)

Two Iraqis were killed and a third was wounded Wednesday in a US-British air raid on Basra in southern Iraq, an Iraqi military spokesman said.

The spokesman, quoted by the official INA news agency, said US and British warplanes bombed "civilian and services (public) installations" in Basra, killing Riad Nahi and Murtada Abdul Amir and wounding a third man, Amjad Rahim.

He said Iraqi anti-aircraft gunners "forced the US and British warplanes to flee to their bases in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait."




U.S., British Jets Bomb Southern Iraq.

BAGHDAD, October 2 (Xinhua) - Warplanes of the United States and Britain bombed southern Iraq on Tuesday, an Iraqi military spokesman said, without mentioning any casualties.

In a statement carried by the official Iraqi News Agency (INA), the spokesman said that the U.S. and British planes, crossing into Iraqi airspace from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, bombed "civil and service installations" in the southern Basra Province.

Meanwhile, at 11:20 local time (0720 GMT), U.S. and British planes flew over Iraq's northern provinces of Dohuk and Erbil, the spokesman said.

On both occasions, the hostile planes were confronted by Iraq's anti-aircraft artillery and were forced to flee to their bases in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Turkey, the spokesman added.

The two no-fly zones in southern and northern Iraq, covering 10 out of Iraq's total 18 provinces, were set up by the U.S.-led Western allies after the 1991 Gulf War.

Iraq does not recognize the no-fly zones and has regularly fired at the U.S. and British planes flying patrolling missions over the zones.

There have been a flurry of air raids by the U.S. and British planes recently in retaliation for Iraq's intensified air defense fire,

which has shot down an unmanned U.S. reconnaissance plane.






U.S., British Warplanes Hit Iraq Targets

September 27, 2001 10:48 AM ET

DUBAI (Reuters) - U.S. and British warplanes struck air defense targets in Iraq's southern no-fly zone for the second time in a week on Thursday in the latest in a flurry of raids since late August, U.S. military officials said.



"The strikes were in response to recent hostile threats by the Iraqis," a U.S. military spokesman in the Gulf said. He gave no

details of the alleged threats. A spokesman for U.S. Central Command in Florida said British and American aircraft used precision-guided munitions to strike anti-aircraft artillery and command and control vehicles in open fields at Shahban and Nassiryah, he said.



"Today's coalition strikes in the no-fly zones were executed as self- defense measures in response to Iraqi hostile threats and acts against coalition air crews," Colonel Rick Thomas said in a statement.



"If Iraq were to cease its threatening actions, coalition strikes would also cease," Thomas said. He said Thursday's strikes were not linked to President Bush's campaign against terrorism following September 11 attacks in the United States which left nearly 7,000 people dead or missing believed killed.



The attack was the latest in a spate of raids by American and British jets since late August, with three last week alone, amid attempts by Iraq to shoot down aircraft patrolling no-fly zones in northern and southern Iraq. U.S. and British planes last hit southern Iraq on September 21.



The no-fly zones have been enforced since shortly after a U.S.-led coalition drove Iraqi occupiers from Kuwait in 1991.

They were created to protect minority Kurds and Shi'ites from attack by President Saddam Hussein's armed forces and to ensure that Iraq did not again threaten its neighbors.



Iraq does not recognize the zones and they are also severely criticized by Russia, which accuses Washington and London of

circumventing the United Nations in setting them up. In early August, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Iraq had

greatly improved its air defenses with fiber-optic links since coalition planes pounded them and other military targets south of

Baghdad in February. About 50 U.S. and British jets hit those defenses with precision- guided bombs and missiles again in August. The spokesman in the Gulf region said on Thursday all coalition aircraft had safely left Iraqi airspace. The U.S. military said that, since December 1998, Iraq had fired anti-aircraft artillery and surface-to-air missiles against U.S. and British planes on more than 1,050 occasions, including more than 420 times this year.







Reuters. Dubai, Sep 27 - Western warplanes struck at air defence targets in Iraq's southern no-fly zone for the second time in a week today in the latest in a flurry of raids since late August, the US military said. "The strikes were in response to recent hostile threats by the Iraqis," a US military spokesman in the Gulf said. He gave no details of the alleged threats. The strikes were carried out by coalition aircraft, a phrase normally used by the Pentagon to describe British and US warplanes, using precision-guided munitions against anti-aircraft artillery and command and control sites at Shahban and Nassiryah, he said. The attack was the latest in a spate of raids by American and British warplanes since late August, with three last week alone, amid attempts by Iraq to shoot down aircraft patrolling no-fly zones in northern and southern Iraq. US and British planes last hit southern Iraq on Sep 21. The spokesman said today all coalition aircraft had safely left Iraqi airspace.





Iraqi air defences attacked again

BBC

9/20/01

American and British warplanes have attacked air defence sites in southern Iraq.

The United States defence department said the action was carried out at two sites south-east of Baghdad in response to recent hostile threats.

A Pentagon spokesman said the air strikes had nothing to do with last week's suicide plane attacks in New York and Washington.

The BBC Defence Correspondent says the action was part of routine allied monitoring of the air exclusion zones set up after the Gulf War.




'Eight killed' in Iraq raids

Monday, 10 September, 2001

BBC


Eight people were killed and three others injured in a Western missile strike south-east of Baghdad on Sunday, the official Iraqi news agency (INA) has reported.

It said a number of farms had been hit in an attack by US and British planes patrolling the southern no-fly zone.

"America and Britain committed yet another savage aggression that targeted Iraqi civilians when their planes attacked the al-Salihiya area in Wasit province, killing eight and wounding three," INA said.

The Pentagon has said that US Air Force F-16, Navy F-18 and British Tornado GR-4 aircraft struck missile sites near al-Numinayah, al-Kut and Tallil, all south-east of Baghdad.

It said all the planes returned safely to base.

Iraqi techonology 'improving'

The United States has accused Iraq of upgrading its military technology and developing weapons of mass destruction in the absence of international monitoring.

Speaking shortly after the raids, US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Iraqi efforts had been gathering pace since UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in late 1998.


US and British warplanes have carried out four other attacks on Iraqi air defences since 25 August to enforce the no-fly zones imposed after the 1991 Gulf War.

But Washington says Iraq has improved the effectiveness of its air defences, posing a greater danger to allied planes.

Mr Rumsfeld said the Iraqis had been "working diligently to increase their capabilities in every aspect of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile technology".

Speaking on Fox television, he said: "That problem, particularly biological weapons, over the coming decade is going to be an increasingly serious one".

A variety of techniques would be needed to hit Iraqi weapons sites, some of which were mobile or underground, he added.




Iraq says four wounded in US, British airstrikes

BAGHDAD, Sept 4, 2001 (AFP) -
Four Iraqis were wounded in air strikes Tuesday by US and British warplanes on southern Iraq, a military spokesman said, cited by the official INA news agency.

The spokesman said the four were wounded in the "bombardment of civilian installations in Muthanna province."

He added that missiles and anti-aircraft fire had "forced enemy planes to flee after carrying out raids, besides Muthanna, on the provinces of Basra, Zi Qar and Qadissiya."

Other allied aircraft "were forced to turn back under fire from missile batteries and anti-aircraft gunners after carrying out raids on the provinces of Dohuk, Erbil and Niniveh" in northern Iraq.

The US military announced earlier that its warplanes attacked Iraqi air defence sites in northern and southern Iraq in response to Iraqi ground fire and "hostile threats."

The US European Command said coalition warplanes struck "elements of Iraq's integrated air defence" in northern Iraq in response to anti-aircraft artillery fire and after coalition aircraft monitoring a no-fly zone in the north were targeted by Iraqi radar.

In the south US jets used precision guided munitions to attack anti-aircraft artillery and surface-to-air missile sites around As Samwah, 209 kilometers (130 miles) southeast of Baghdad, a spokesman for the US Central Command said.

The command, based in Tampa, Florida, but responsible for forces in the Gulf, said the attack was "in response to recent Iraqi hostile threats against coalition aircraft monitoring the southern no-fly zone."

It would not say how many sites were struck in the raid.

The raids were the latest episode in a long-running US and British campaign to enforce no-fly zones over southern and northern Iraq that were imposed after the 1991 Gulf War.

Iraq has improved the effectiveness of its air defences in the past year with fiber optic communications links.

"The concern is that ... their ability to target us is improved," said Colonel Rick Thomas, spokesman for the US Central Command.

"And therefore the ability of these sites to target and potentially hit coalition aircraft is the reason we struck."

US Air Force F-16s and Navy F/A-18s from the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise took part in Tuesday's raid in the south.

In the north the bombing followed anti-aircraft artillery fire from sites north of Mosul, the European Command's statement said, adding that the patrol planes were also targeted by Iraqi radar.

US aircraft "responded to the Iraqi attacks by delivering ordnance on elements of the Iraqi integrated air defence system," the statement said in the usual formula.

The jets returned safely to their base in Incirlik in Turkey's southern province of Adana, the military said.






Iraq confirms Western jets destroyed Basra radar.



BAGHDAD, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Iraq confirmed on Friday that Western warplanes had attacked the radar of Basra airport and said the station was destroyed.

"At 21:42 (17:42 GMT) on Thursday, U.S. and British warplanes committed a despicable crime by bombing the radar station of Basra International Airport, which guides civilian landings and takeoffs," said a transport ministry official.

This device is registered with the International Air Transport Association. It was fully destroyed, the official told the Iraqi News Agency.

U.S. defence officials said on Thursday that F-16 warplanes attacked "a military radar" as part of a concerted strategy to destroy Baghdad's air defences, which regularly fire at Western warplanes policing two "no-fly" zones in northern and southern
Iraq.

It was the third such strike against Iraqi air defences in six days.






US bombs Iraq after spy plane shot down.

DAILY TELEGRAPH (SYDNEY)

8/28/01


WASHINGTON: Allied jets last night bombed Iraq in response to Baghdad shooting down an unmanned US surveillance plane. One Iraqi was killed and three others wounded in the combined US/British air strikes in northern Iraq, a military spokesman said in Baghdad.

The warplanes bombed Iraq in response to Iraqi fire in routine patrols over the no-fly zone in the region, the Stuttgart-based US European Command said. The aircraft dropped "ordnance on elements of the Iraqi integrated air defence system" after Iraqis fired anti-aircraft artillery from sites north of Mosul, the statement said. The jets returned safely to their base in Incirlik in Turkey's southern province of Adana.

The bombing in northern Iraq followed the disappearance earlier of an unmanned US surveillance plane in a similar exclusion
zone over southern Iraq. A Pentagon official said the plane, which was on a mission over southern Iraq, had failed to return to its base.

It was the first admission from the US that it had lost an unmanned spy plane.

The official Iraqi News Agency had reported earlier from Baghdad that Iraqi anti-aircraft forces had shot down a US spy
plane in the region of the southern port city of Basra. "It was operating in southern Iraq to gather information on our
strategic sites and our anti-aircraft defences," the statement said.

Iraq has tried to shoot down a US plane before. But until last night the US always had denied any of its aircraft had been hit,
although it acknowledged an increasing number of close calls.






US / Britain bomb Northern Iraq

August 17, 2001

press release

UNITED STATES EUROPEAN COMMAND

Iraqi forces threatened Operation Northern Watch (ONW) coalition aircraft today by firing anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) from sites north of Mosul. Coalition aircraft were also targeted by Iraqi radar while conducting routine enforcement of the Northern No-Fly Zone.

Coalition aircraft responded to the Iraqi attacks by delivering ordnance on elements of the Iraqi integrated air defense system.

All coalition aircraft departed the area safely.

Coalition aircraft have been enforcing the Northern No-Fly Zone for more than 10 years. Since Dec. 28, 1998, Saddam Hussein has opted to challenge this enforcement by firing at coalition aircraft with surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and anti-aircraft artillery and by targeting them with radar. Operation Northern Watch aircraft respond in self-defense to these threats, while continuing to enforce the No-fly Zone.

For more information, please contact the Combined Task Force Combined Information Bureau at +90-322-316-3704.






U.S. warplanes strike Iraqi missile site
August 15, 2001

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter jets bombed a surface-to-air missile site in southern Iraq Tuesday, U.S. officials said.

The attack took place near the town of An Nasiriyah, some 170 miles south east of Baghdad.

The target area included Soviet-made SA-2 anti-aircraft missiles, with their launchers, fire control radars and associated command and control structures, according to officials who asked they not be identified.

The mobile SA-2 missiles had been a thorn in the side of U.S. pilots and commanders in the region, who have reported that Iraqi forces had been regularly re-locating the site in their ongoing effort to surprise and down a U.S. or British warplane patrolling the southern no-fly zone, defense officials revealed.

All U.S. and British strike and support aircraft returned safely to their bases in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia following the strike, the officials said.

The United States and its coalition partner Great Britain have stepped up efforts of late to degrade the integrated air defense system throughout Iraq since Iraq has, for the last five months, been aggressively attempting to down a coalition aircraft, the Pentagon has said.

The U.S. and Britain launched significant air attacks against three Iraqi air defense sites last Friday. Those strikes included a total of about 50 aircraft including 18 strike planes flying from bases in the region and the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise sailing in the Persian Gulf.

Pentagon officials said Tuesday that Iraqi air defense units now appear to be focusing on downing a U.S. Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) known as a "Predator."

The Predator is a pilotless airborne reconnaissance aircraft used in Iraq to gather intelligence on the movement of Iraqi military forces and air defense units.

The Predator is about 27 feet long with a wing span of nearly 49 feet. It flies at a cruising speed of less than 100 miles per hour and typically flies at an altitude of less than 15,000 feet, making it an easy target for advanced air defense systems such as the one fielded by Iraq.






US Warplanes Strike Iraq

Friday, August 10, 2001
by Agence France Presse


WASHINGTON - US and British warplanes launched a major strike Friday against three air-defense sites in southern Iraq
Friday in response to recent attacks on coalition aircraft patrolling the no-fly zone, Pentagon officials said.

About 50 aircraft -- including tankers and other support aircraft -- participated in the raid, the largest since February. All returned safely, a Pentagon official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The official said the raid was in response to "recent increases in air defense firings against coalition aircraft," and targets
included "two communications nodes and surface-to-air missile sites."

Damage to the targets is still being assessed, the official said.

A second Pentagon official said the targets included a communications node, a surface-to-air missile site and a radar site.

The second official confirmed the strike -- initiated by army General Tommy Franks, US Central Command chief, was the
biggest since a February 16 raid on air-defense targets near Baghdad. Franks has authority to act to protect aircraft patrolling over Iraq without first seeking White House approval.

"It was a little more than a plink but not big," the second official said, also speaking on condition of anonymity.

There were "a little less than 20 aircraft in the strike package, but approximately 50 in the air," launched from the aircraft
carrier USS Enterprise and ground bases in the region, the second official said.

Friday's air strike was the second this week in response to recent anti-aircraft artillery and surface-to-air missile fire at
coalition aircraft patrolling the no-fly zone.

US warplanes Tuesday shattered a three-week lull by attacking a multiple-rocket launcher near Mosul in northern Iraq.

*** According to the Associated Press Iraqi casualties included 1 person killed and 11 wounded in Wassit ***




U.S. planes bomb Iraqi rocket launcher
August 7, 2001

By Jamie McIntyre



WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States on Tuesday bombed an Iraqi multiple rocket launcher in northern Iraq in what Pentagon officials said was an immediate response to a provocation.

Pentagon sources say the Iraqi rocket launcher fired three surface-to-air missiles at U.S. planes patrolling the northern no-fly
zone imposed by the Western coalition, and a U.S. Air Force F-16 dropped two laser-guided bombs at
the launcher in response.

The bomb damage has not been completely assessed, but a Pentagon official said it is believed the bombs hit the target, which is north of the Iraqi town of Mosul.

There was no immediate response from Baghdad.

The Pentagon said it was the first strike against Iraqi air defenses since July 17, when U.S. planes bombed an air defense site
in the southern no-fly zone.

The last time U.S. planes bombed in the northern no-fly zone was June 14.

Pentagon sources told CNN that the United States has "put on hold" plans for large-scale retaliatory air strikes because of concern that the negative reaction from U.S. allies in the region is not worth the limited effect the
bombing would have on Iraqi air defenses.

Sources said the United States is back to its usual policy of striking smaller targets that threaten coalition planes on an "as
needed" basis, and say Tuesday's strike is an example of that.

Meanwhile, military sources said Monday that Iraq continues to violate the no-fly zones.

Sources said on Saturday that an Iraqi MiG-23 flew some 60 miles into the southern no-fly zone, near where a U.S. predator
unmanned aerial vehicle was conducting surveillance.

The Iraqi jet left the no-fly zone before U.S. planes could respond.

The United States has also returned to its normal military posture of having one aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf.

The U.S. briefly had two carriers last week in the Gulf when the USS Enterprise arrived to relieve the USS Constellation,
but the Constellation left Saturday.

On June 26, a statement from the U.S. Central Command said there have been "more than 900 separate incidents of Iraqi
surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery fire directed at coalition aircraft since December 1998, including more than 275 in this calendar year."

Northern and southern no-fly zones were put in place over Iraq following the 1991 Persian Gulf War as part of an effort to prevent the Baghdad government of President Saddam Hussein from persecuting the minority Shiite Muslims in the south and the Kurdish population in northern Iraq.




US: Coalition jet hits Iraqi anti-aircraft site
July 17, 2001


MACDILL AFB, Florida (CNN) -- The U.S. Central Command said Tuesday coalition jets struck an anti-aircraft artillery site in southern Iraq.

A statement said the strike was "in response to recent Iraqi hostile acts against coalition aircraft monitoring the Southern No-Fly Zone" of Iraq.

The statement said "precision-guided weapons" were used against the site. An assessment of the damage done to the target is under way.

There was no immediate response from Iraq.

The statement said, "Coalition strikes in the no-fly zones are executed as a self-defense measure in response to Iraqi hostile threats and acts against coalition forces and their aircraft. If Iraq were to cease its threatening actions, coalition strikes would cease as well. The last coalition strike in the Southern No-Fly Zone was against an Iraqi anti-aircraft artillery site on July 7.




Strike on Iraq's southern no-fly zone
July 7, 2001

MACDILL AFB, Florida (CNN) -- Coalition aircraft struck an anti-artillery site in Iraq's southern "no-fly zone" early Saturday, the U.S. Central Command here announced.

A statement from the Central Command said the strike, which was performed at 3:15 a.m. EDT with precision-guided weapons, was in response to "hostile acts against coalition aircraft."

Damage assessment is ongoing, the statement said.

A spokesman for Iraqi Air Defense Command said Iraq's missile force and anti-aircraft artillery drove the planes out of the disputed airspace and back to their bases in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, the Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported.

All coalition aircraft returned safely to their base aboard the USS Constellation in the Arabian Gulf, said Lt. Col. Rick Thomas of the U.S. Central Command.

The last strike by coalition forces in the southern no-fly zone was also against an Iraqi anti-aircraft artillery site on June 26.

U.S. and British aircraft monitor the northern and southern no-fly zones, which were put in place following the 1991 Persian Gulf War as part of an effort to prevent the Iraqi government of President Saddam Hussein from persecuting the minority Shiite Muslims in the south and the Kurdish population in northern Iraq.

There have been more than 900 separate incidents of Iraqi surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery fire directed at coalition aircraft since December 1998, including more than 275 in this calendar year, the Pentagon said last month.






Iraq: Coalition planes hit civilian targets; U.S. denies it
June 26, 2001


BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraq said on Tuesday that U.S.-led coalition aircraft had struck at ''our civilian and service centers in the province of Basra,'' killing three Iraqis -- an accusation denied by the United States.

A spokesman for the U.S. Central Command in Florida, which directs the aircraft that enforce the southern no-fly zone in Iraq, acknowledged that U.S. planes had conducted a strike against Basra on Monday, but said they had attacked an anti-aircraft artillery site and not a civilian target.

''The attack led to the martyrdom of three citizens,'' an Iraqi Air Defense spokesman told Iraq's state-controlled news agency, INA.

"Yesterday we conducted a strike at an Iraqi anti-aircraft artillery site," Lt. Col. Rich Thomas told CNN. "It was in response to Iraqi hostile acts."

Last week, Iraq said coalition planes killed at least 22 young Iraqis on June 19 on a soccer field in the northern city of Mosul. In Washington, Pentagon officials said it was probably a malfunctioning Iraqi anti-aircraft missile that killed the young men.

That attack was the first strike by Western warplanes in southern Iraq since June 14, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

There have been "more than 900 separate incidents of Iraqi surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery fire directed at coalition aircraft since December 1998, including more than 275 in this calendar year," the statement said.

Northern and southern no-fly zones were put in place over Iraq following the 1991 Persian Gulf War as part of an effort to prevent the Baghdad government of President Saddam Hussein from persecuting the minority Shiite Muslims in the south and the Kurdish population in northern Iraq





U.S., British planes strike Iraqi air defenses
June 25, 2001

By Chris Plante
CNN National Security Producer

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. and British warplanes bombed an Iraqi anti-aircraft artillery site in southern Iraq Monday in response to "hostile acts against coalition aircraft monitoring the southern no-fly zone," the Pentagon said.

The nighttime air strikes mark the first attack by Western warplanes in southern Iraq since June 14, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

There have been "more than 900 separate incidents of Iraqi surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery fire directed at coalition aircraft since December 1998, including more than 275 in this calendar year," the statement said.

The strikes took place at about 3:15 p.m. EDT, according to the Central Command.

The Iraqi government last week accused the U.S. of bombing civilians at a soccer field in northern Iraq, killing more than 20 people.

The United States denied bombing the soccer field or even dropping any bombs on that day. U.S. sources told CNN that they believed that the casualties inflicted in the incident were caused by the malfunction of an Iraqi surface-to-air missile, which had been fired at U.S. planes patrolling the northern no-fly zone.

The no-fly zones were put in place following the 1991 Persian Gulf War as part of an effort to prevent the Baghdad government of President Saddam Hussein from persecuting the minority Shiite Muslims in the south and the Kurdish population in northern Iraq.




Did the UK/US bomb Tel A'fer, Iraq on June 19th, killing 23 people? Click here for report from Americans in Iraq.






US / Britain bomb Northern Iraq

June 14, 2002

press release

UNITED STATES EUROPEAN COMMAND



Operation Northern Watch aircraft were targeted by Iraqi missile guidance radar systems from sites north of Mosul while conducting routine enforcement of the Northern No-Fly Zone. Iraqi gunners later attacked ONW aircraft with anti-aircraft artillery fire.

Coalition aircraft responded to the Iraqi attacks by dropping ordnance on elements of the Iraqi integrated air defense system.

All coalition aircraft departed the area safely.

Coalition aircraft have been enforcing the Northern No-Fly Zone for more than 10 years. Since Dec. 28, 1998, Saddam Hussein has opted to challenge this enforcement by firing at coalition aircraft with surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and anti-aircraft artillery and by targeting them with radar. Operation Northern Watch aircraft respond in self-defense to these threats, while continuing to enforce the No-fly Zone.

For more information, please contact the Combined Task Force Combined Information Bureau at +90-322-316-3704.





Baghdad says US, British jets bomb southern Iraq.

BAGHDAD, June 6 (Reuters) - Iraq said U.S and British planes flying from bases in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait attacked targets in the south of the country on Wednesday, but no casualties were reported. "At 08:20 a.m.(0420 GMT) on Wednesday [6/6/01], U.S. and British warplanes violated our air space, carrying out 12 sorties from Saudi Arabia and 25 sorties from Kuwait," an Iraqi military spokesman said in a statement carried by the official Iraqi News Agency. "The planes flew over the provinces of Basra, Dhi qar, Meissan, Muthanna, Najaf, Qadissiya and Kerbala," he said. He said the planes attacked civilian and service installations in Amara city, Meissan province, but were forced to return to their bases by Iraqi air-defence fire.

There was no immediate confirmation from the United States or Britain. The U.S. military said American jets enforcing a "no-fly" zone over southern Iraq had attacked an anti-aircraft artillery site on Tuesday "in response to recent Iraqi hostile acts".
An Iraqi military spokesman was quoted in Iraqi newspapers on Wednesday as confirming the U.S. report, saying the U.S. had attacked unspecified civilian installations. He said British planes had also been involved.

Western powers established no-fly zones in the north and south of Iraq after the Gulf War in 1991 to help protect a Kurdish enclave in northern Iraq and Shi'ite Muslims in the south from possible attacks by Iraqi forces.

Last Monday, U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said improvements in Iraqi defences had increased the risk of an American plane being shot down. U.S. military commanders overseeing operations over Iraq have said it might be necessary to cut back on the enforcement flights in the face of increasing and more effective attacks on them from the ground.





Coalition forces strike site in Iraqi no-fly zone
June 5, 2001

MACDILL Air Force Base, Florida (CNN) -- U.S.-coalition aircraft fired precision-guided weapons on an anti-aircraft artillery site in southern Iraq's no-fly zone Tuesday, in response to recent Iraqi "hostile acts," the United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) said in a written statement.

The attack, which took place at 3:30 a.m. EDT, comes less than a month after the last coalition strike in the southern no-fly zone on May 18.

Coalition officials are still assessing the damage, according to the statement.

There was no immediate reaction from Iraq.

The command estimates that Iraq has violated the southern no-fly zone restrictions more than 160 times, since December 1998.

USCENTCOM also said Iraq has fired on coalition aircraft in more than 900 separate incidents, during the same period.

The U.S. Central Command, based at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida is a division of the Department of Defense, which protects U.S. security interests in several countries, including Iraq.




U.S. warplanes strike air defense sites in southern Iraq

May 18, 2001

By CNN National Security Producer Chris Plante



WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. warplanes struck targets at an air defense site in southern Iraq Friday, "in response to recent Iraqi hostile threats against coalition aircraft monitoring the southern no-fly zone", the U.S. Central Command said in a statement.

The strikes were against an inactive air defense site in the eastern portion of the no-fly zone that U.S. military officials said could have become a threat to patrolling aircraft with little or no notice.

Fewer than a dozen U.S. strike aircraft were involved in the strike, according to Pentagon officials who asked to remain anonymous.

There have been more than 850 incidents involving Iraqi air defenses firing against U.S. or British aircraft patrolling the southern no-fly zone since December 1998 when the U.S. and Britain launched "Operations Desert Fox" against targets throughout Iraq.

This year, Iraqi aircraft have violated the no-fly zone more than 160 times and fired on U.S. or British aircraft more than 220 times, the Central Command said.




Jets came under anti-aircraft fire, responded, says U.S. officials

ANKARA, Turkey (AP, 5/24/01) - U.S. jets struck Iraqi air defense systems in the northern no-fly zone Wednesday [5/23/01] after coming under Iraqi anti-aircraft fire, the U.S. military said in a statement.

The U.S. warplanes were conducting routine patrols when the Iraqi military fired from sites north and west of Mosul, some 250 miles north of Baghdad, the Germany-based U.S. European Command said in a statement.

All warplanes left the area safely, the statement added.

The Iraqi news agency, quoting a military official, confirmed the air raid and reported no casualties.

The United States and Britain have been enforcing no-fly zones over northern and southern Iraq since the end of the Gulf War in 1991. The planes patrolling the northern zone are based in the southern Turkish air base of Incirlik.

Iraq considers the zones to be violations of its territorial sovereignty and has been challenging the patrols since December 1998.






U.S. Bombs Iraqi Sites in North

ANKARA, Turkey (AP - 5/1/01) - U.S. jets struck Iraqi air defense sites in a northern no-fly zone on Monday [4/30/01] in response to Iraqi anti-aircraft fire, the U.S. military said in a statement.



U.S. warplanes conducting routine patrols bombed air defense systems after coming under Iraqi artillery fire northwest of Mosul, 250 miles north of Baghdad, the Germany-based U.S. European Command said in a statement.



All warplanes left the area safely, the statement added. There was no immediate word from Iraqi authorities on casualties. The United States and Britain have been enforcing no-fly zones over northern and southern Iraq since the end of the Gulf War in 1991.



Iraq, which regards the zones as violations of its territorial sovereignty, has been challenging the patrols since December 1998.

Planes patrolling the northern zone are based in the southern Turkish base of Incirlik. Despite hosting U.S. and British warplanes, Turkey is trying to boost ties with Iraq and wants an easing of the U.N.-economic sanctions against its southern neighbor.








Allies bomb Iraqi site; 1 reported killed

Baghdad, Iraq (AP - 4/29/01) - U.S. and British warplanes bombed southern Iraq on Saturday [4/28/01], killing one civilian and wounding two others, the official Iraqi News Agency reported.



There was no immediate response from the U.S. military, and calls to the U.S. Central Command in Tampa, Fla, went unanswered.



The allied airstrike hit civilian targets in Najaf province, whose capital city of the same name is 1,113 miles south of Baghdad, an unidentified military spokesman told the agency.








US / Britain bomb Northern Iraq

April 6, 2001

press release

UNITED STATES EUROPEAN COMMAND



Iraqi forces threatened Operation Northern Watch(ONW) coalition aircraft today. Iraqi forces fired anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) from sites north of Mosul while ONW aircraft conducted routine enforcement of the Northern No-Fly Zone.

Coalition aircraft responded to the Iraqi attacks by dropping ordnance on elements of the Iraqi integrated air defense system.

All coalition aircraft departed the area safely.

Coalition aircraft have been enforcing the Northern No-Fly Zone for more than nine years. Since Dec. 28, 1998, Saddam Hussein has opted to challenge this enforcement by firing at coalition aircraft with surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and anti-aircraft artillery and by targeting them with radar. Operation Northern Watch aircraft respond in self-defense to these threats, while continuing to enforce the No-fly Zone.

For more information, please contact the Combined Task Force Combined Information Bureau at +90-322-316-3704.






US / Britain bomb Northern Iraq

February 22, 2001

press release

UNITED STATES EUROPEAN COMMAND



Iraqi forces threatened Operation Northern Watch (ONW) coalition aircraft today. Iraqi forces fired anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) from sites north of Mosul while ONW aircraft conducted routine enforcement of the Northern No-Fly Zone. Coalition aircraft were also targeted by Iraqi radar from sites southeast of Mosul.

Coalition aircraft responded to the Iraqi attacks by dropping ordnance on elements of the Iraqi integrated air defense system.

All coalition aircraft departed the area safely.

Coalition aircraft have been enforcing the Northern No-Fly Zone for more than nine years. Since Dec. 28, 1998, Saddam Hussein has opted to challenge this enforcement by firing at coalition aircraft with surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and anti-aircraft artillery and by targeting them with radar. Operation Northern Watch aircraft respond in self-defense to these threats, while continuing to enforce the No-fly Zone.

For more information, please contact the Combined Task Force Combined Information Bureau at +90-322-316-3704.





Two Iraqis Killed in US/UK Bombing of Iraq

Bush: Iraq strikes part of 'strategy'

February 17, 2001


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. President George W. Bush called Friday's attack on Iraqi radar sites "a routine mission to enforce the no-fly zone."

United States and British warplanes attacked five Iraqi anti-aircraft radar control sites around Baghdad and 20 other radar installations, Pentagon sources said.

The 24-aircraft mission was the first against targets outside the southern no-fly zone in two years, but White House officials said it did not indicate an escalation in attacks against Iraq.





Iraq released a statement condemning the attack and said it was carried out by the United States and Israel and is the prelude to a holy war.

"The aggression of this night, the 16th of February, came to confirm that America was planning and working hand in hand with the Zionist entity," the statement said.

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was said to be in an emergency meeting with the ruling Baath Party and the Revolutionary Command Council.

Iraqi television said two people were killed in the attack and showed pictures of other injured civilians, including children, in a hospital.

Bush on a one-day visit to Mexico, said the missions to enforce the no-fly zones are "part of a strategy, and until that strategy is changed, if it is changed, we will continue to enforce them." (More on no-fly zones)

Bush added that the United States fully expects Hussein to adhere to agreements he signed after Operation Desert Storm 10 years ago.

"Our intention is to make sure that the world is as peaceful as possible and we're going to watch very carefully as to whether he develops weapons of mass destruction," Bush said. "If we catch him doing so, we're going to take appropriate action."

The White House said missile attacks against Iraqi military command and control centers south of Baghdad on Friday did not "represent an escalation in attacks against Iraq or a change in policy."

Targets 'threaten our forces'

An administration official told CNN that the White House views the attacks as consistent with U.S. policy established at the end of the Persian Gulf war.

"The targets were struck pursuant to existing policy in place since 1991," the official said. "The policy allows the U.S. to take out assets that threaten our forces. The president was aware of and approved the action. We have hit targets that constituted a threat to our forces, but this does not represent an escalation in our activity against Iraq or a change in policy."

The operation was prompted by an "increased threat to our aircraft and our crew," Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Gregory Newbold said at a Pentagon news conference.

A spokesman for the British Ministry of defense told CNN that Iraq has launched more attacks against allied planes patrolling the no-fly zone in the month of January of 2001 than it did in the whole of the year 2000.

It marks the first time since Operation Desert Fox in 1998 that the allies have struck targets outside the no-fly zone, in this case north of the 33rd parallel. The no-fly zones are bands running across Iraq that are bordered by the 33rd parallel in the south and 36th parallel in the north.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld issued a written statement on the attacks on Iraq.

"The objective of today's mission by coalition forces was to degrade Iraqi air defense capabilities and thus reduce the threat posed to coalition aircraft and aircrews," The statement said.

"The specifics of the mission were planned by the military commander in the field, and were presented to and approved by the national command authorities. The administration intends to enforce the no-fly zones in Iraq and will take appropriate steps to reduce the threats to coalition forces engaged in this mission," Rumsfeld's statement said.



Bush said the decision to attack was made by military commanders in the region.

"Commanders on the ground rightly make the decision how to enforce the no-fly zone," Bush said at a press conference in Mexico, where he was meeting with President Vicente Fox. "Some of the missions require the commander in chief to be informed. This was one of them."

Asked whether he approved of the strike on Iraq, Fox said, "I do not have a position or statement at this time. That will be done through the Foreign Ministry in the future."

All aircraft returned safely

U.S. sources confirmed that at least six British aircraft participated in the attacks. All planes involved in the attack returned safely, Newbold said.

In the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Tony Blair was apprised of the strikes, but it was the Minister of Defense Geoff Hune who authorized the strike, according to British government sources.






US / Britain bomb Northern Iraq

February 12, 2001

UNITED STATES EUROPEAN COMMAND



Iraqi forces threatened Operation Northern Watch (ONW) coalition aircraft today. Iraqi forces fired anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) from sites north of Mosul while ONW aircraft conducted routine enforcement of the Northern No-Fly Zone. Coalition aircraft were also targeted by Iraqi radar.

Coalition aircraft responded to the Iraqi attacks by dropping ordnance on elements of the Iraqi integrated air defense system.

All coalition aircraft departed the area safely.

Coalition aircraft have been enforcing the Northern No-Fly Zone for more than nine years. Since Dec. 28, 1998, Saddam Hussein has opted to challenge this enforcement by firing at coalition aircraft with surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and anti-aircraft artillery and by targeting them with radar. Operation Northern Watch aircraft respond in self-defense to these threats, while continuing to enforce the No-fly Zone.

For more information, please contact the Combined Task Force Combined Information Bureau at +90-322-316-3704.






2-11-01 Southern Iraq, 16 civilians injured (among them 8 children & 4 women) and 17 houses damaged. Reuters, AP, AFP




1-28/29-01 Southern Iraq, 7 civilians injured. Reuters






US / Britain bomb Northern Iraq

January 24, 2001

press release

UNITED STATES EUROPEAN COMMAND



Iraqi forces threatened Operation Northern Watch (ONW) coalition aircraft again today. Iraqi forces launched surface-to-air missiles (SAM) and fired anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) from sites north of Mosul while ONW aircraft conducted routine enforcement of the Northern No-Fly Zone.

Coalition aircraft responded to the Iraqi attacks by dropping ordnance on elements of the Iraqi integrated air defense system.

All coalition aircraft departed the area safely.

Coalition aircraft have been enforcing the Northern No-Fly Zone for more than nine years. Since Dec. 28, 1998, Saddam Hussein has opted to challenge this enforcement by firing at coalition aircraft with surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and anti-aircraft artillery and by targeting them with radar. Operation Northern Watch aircraft respond in self-defense to these threats, while continuing to enforce the No-fly Zone.

For more information, please contact the Combined Task Force Combined Information Bureau at +90-322-316-3704.






1-20-01 Southern Iraq, 6 civilians killed in Muthana province. Reuters




1-11-01 Southern Iraq, 2 civilians injured. Reuters




12-22-00 Southern Iraq, 1 civilian killed and 2 injured. [Totals since Dec. 1998: 311 civilians killed and 927 wounded by

bombings. Gulf News (Dubai)]. AP




12-07-00 Southern Iraq, 3 civilians injured in Basrah province. Reuters






US / Britain Bomb Northern Iraq

Novermber 16, 2000

press release

UNITED STATES EUROPEAN COMMAND



Iraqi forces threatened Operation Northern Watch (ONW) coalition aircraft again today. Iraqi forces fired anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) from sites north of Mosul while ONW aircraft conducted routine enforcement of the Northern No-Fly Zone. Coalition aircraft responded to the Iraqi attacks by dropping ordnance on elements of the Iraqi integrated air defense system. All coalition aircraft departed the area safely.






US / Britain Bomb Northern Iraq

November 14, 2000

press release

UNITED STATES EUROPEAN COMMAND



Iraqi forces threatened Operation Northern Watch (ONW) coalition aircraft again today. Iraqi forces fired anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) from sites north of Mosul while ONW aircraft conducted routine enforcement of the Northern No-Fly Zone. Coalition aircraft were also targeted by Iraqi radar. Coalition aircraft responded to the Iraqi attacks by dropping ordnance on elements of the Iraqi integrated air defense system. All coalition aircraft departed the area safely.








11-11-00 Southern Iraq, The Ali Al-Hayaini school in Hmaidi village in Basrah Province was hit injuring 4 children and 3

teachers. The school, several houses and a car were damaged. Reuters and AFP



11-01-00 Northern Iraq, 3 civilians injured. Reuters




10-30-00 Southern Iraq, 2 civilians killed and 1 injured. Reuters




10-23-00 Northern Iraq, 1 civilian wounded, AFP




8-30-00 Southern Iraq, 3 injured, including 1 child, in al-Najam village in the province of Muthana. A number of houses were also damaged. AP




8-12-00 Southern Iraq, 3 injured as allied airstrikes hit train station and several homes in Samawa. AP




8-11-00 Southern Iraq, 2 civilians killed, 19 injured in Samawa when British/US planes hit a warehouse used to store food for the UN oil-for-food deal as well as several homes. AP




6-29-00 Southern Iraq, 1 woman killed, 1 civilian injured & 13 sheep killed. AP




6-26-00 Southern Iraq, 2 civilians injured. Reuters



6-19-00 Southern Iraq, 3 civilians injured. AP




6-14-00 Northern Iraq, 2 civilians injured. AFP




6-8-00 Northern Iraq, 1 civilian injured. Reuters




5-30-00 Northern & Southern Iraq, 1 injured. Reuters




5-17-00 Southern Iraq, 1 boy killed, 4 injured, cattle killed. Kyodo News




5-16-00 Northern & Southern Iraq, 6 injured. Rreported from London by Mariam Appeal




5-3-00 Northern Iraq, 3 injured. AP





5-2-00 Southern Iraq, 2 killed, 2 injured. Reuters



4-25-00 Northern Iraq, 1 killed. Reuters




4-6-00 Southern Iraq, 14 killed. Reuters



3-15-00 Southern Iraq, 1 killed, 6 injured. AP




3-11-00 Southern Iraq, 8 civilians injured, several sheep and cows killed and 40 date palms destroyed. AP



3-9-00 Northern Iraq, 1 civilian injured. Reported by AP





* We're working on posting the U.S. bombings before March 9, 2000, of which there were many.



Last Updated: 11/06/02



Back to Main CCMEP Page