Western Jets Strike Iraqi Communications Sites
Sat February 22, 2003 07:09 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Warplanes taking part in U.S. and British patrols over a "no-fly" zone in southern Iraq attacked communications sites on Saturday after Iraqi forces fired at the aircraft, the U.S. military said.
The U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Gulf region, said the aircraft used precision-guided weapons to target six unmanned cable repeater sites.
"The coalition executed today's strike after Iraqi air defenses fired anti-aircraft artillery at coalition aircraft," the Central Command said in a statement posted on its Web site.
"Target battle damage assessment is ongoing," the statement said.
The communications sites were located between Al Kut, about 95 miles southeast of Baghdad, and Al Basrah, about 245 miles southeast of Baghdad, the statement said.
The strikes took place at about 2:45 p.m. EST, the Central Command said.
U.S. and British jets have increasingly attacked Iraqi air defense missiles, radar and communications for months in the northern and southern "no-fly" zones.
This year, Iraqi air defenses have fired at coalition aircraft more than 100 times and have violated the southern "no-fly" zone on three separate days, the Central Command said. The U.S. and British patrols have responded by striking Iraqi military targets more than 40 times, the statement said.
Both the United States and Britain have massed forces in the Gulf region for a possible invasion of Iraq.
Link
Sat February 22, 2003 07:09 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Warplanes taking part in U.S. and British patrols over a "no-fly" zone in southern Iraq attacked communications sites on Saturday after Iraqi forces fired at the aircraft, the U.S. military said.
The U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Gulf region, said the aircraft used precision-guided weapons to target six unmanned cable repeater sites.
"The coalition executed today's strike after Iraqi air defenses fired anti-aircraft artillery at coalition aircraft," the Central Command said in a statement posted on its Web site.
"Target battle damage assessment is ongoing," the statement said.
The communications sites were located between Al Kut, about 95 miles southeast of Baghdad, and Al Basrah, about 245 miles southeast of Baghdad, the statement said.
The strikes took place at about 2:45 p.m. EST, the Central Command said.
U.S. and British jets have increasingly attacked Iraqi air defense missiles, radar and communications for months in the northern and southern "no-fly" zones.
This year, Iraqi air defenses have fired at coalition aircraft more than 100 times and have violated the southern "no-fly" zone on three separate days, the Central Command said. The U.S. and British patrols have responded by striking Iraqi military targets more than 40 times, the statement said.
Both the United States and Britain have massed forces in the Gulf region for a possible invasion of Iraq.
Link
