Coalition
Forces Respond to Iraqi Hostile Actions
March 1, 2003
MACDILL AFB,
FL — In response to Iraqi hostile actions and threats toward
Coalition aircraft monitoring compliance of United Nations Security
Council Resolutions, Operation SOUTHERN WATCH Coalition aircraft
used precision-guided weapons today to target Iraqi military communications
sites and a mobile early-warning radar.
The communication
sites were located near An Numinayah, approximately 70 miles southeast
of Baghdad. The Coalition struck those targets at approximately
6:45 p.m. EST. The radar was located near An Nasiriyah, approximately
170 miles southeast of Baghdad. The Coalition struck that target
at approximately 8 p.m. EST.
Target battle
damage assessment is ongoing.
The Coalition
struck the communications sites after Iraqi forces fired anti-aircraft
artillery earlier in the day at Coalition aircraft supporting
Operation Southern Watch. The Coalition struck the radar after
Iraqi forces moved a related highly-mobile surface-to-air missile
system into the Southern No-Fly Zone.
The last Operation
Southern Watch strike was on February 28, when Coalition aircraft
used precision-guided weapons to target three mobile air-defense
early-warning radars and a surface-to-air missile system near
An Nasiriyah, approximately 170 miles southeast of Baghdad.
Coalition
aircraft never target civilian populations or infrastructure and
go to painstaking lengths to avoid injury to civilians and damage
to civilian facilities.