US Warplanes Strike Iraq

US and British warplanes launched a major strike Friday, August 10, 2001 against three air-defense sites in southern Iraq. 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.

Friday, August 10, 2001

US and British warplanes launched a major strike Friday, August 10, 2001 against three air-defense
sites in southern Iraq 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

When was the last time the U.S. Bombed Iraq? –http://www.ccmep.org/us_bombing_watch.html

[ also see related items:

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U.S., British Planes Strike Iraq’s Southern No-Fly Zone – http://www.theexperiment.org/articles.php?news_id=1610

Coalition Planes Hit Iraqi Civilian Targets; U.S. Denies It – http://www.theexperiment.org/articles.php?news_id=1608

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