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Iraq bombed again

American fighter jets fired missiles and laser-guided bombs at Iraq early Wednesday after a British aircraft observed missiles rising from an Iraqi site, the Pentagon said.

A British bomber reported the activity at about 0930 hours -- local time 0630 GMT -- southwest of Talil.

"There were several surface-to-air missiles fired,'' said a Pentagon official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Two US F-16 fighter jets patrolling the area responded and fired two Harm anti-radar missiles and a number of precision-guided bombs at the site at 1015 hours (0715 GMT). "There is no assessment of the damage,'' the official said.

He said he could not confirm whether the Iraqi missiles were fired at the British aircraft.

A British defence ministry spokesman said the missiles were fired "in the vicinity'' of US and British aircraft in the southern no-fly zone. "All US and British planes returned safely to base," he said.

The firm response to the latest Iiraqi provocation is ample evidence of our commitment to patrol the no-fly zone, he added.

UNI

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