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MACDILL AFB, FL – At approximately 2:20 a.m. Eastern Standard Time today, coalition air forces flying an Operation Southern Watch mission struck two Iraqi military sites, one near Al Amarah and another near Talil, in response to Iraqi provocations.

Two U.S. Navy F-14s, two FA-18s, one EA-6B, one U.S. Air Force F-16CJ and two British Royal Air Force GR-1 aircraft, operating from land and sea bases in the Southwest Asia region, responded by attacking these two sites. Al Amarah is approximately 120 miles southeast of Baghdad and Talil is approximately 170 miles southeast of Baghdad. There were no coalition aircraft damaged during the incident and battle damage assessment is ongoing.

Since Operation DESERT FOX, the Iraqi military has been increasing both the pace and severity of no-fly zone violations. Despite repeated warnings, Iraqi actions and intentions pose serious threats to our aircrews and our actions today are an appropriate response to these threats.

The U.S. and coalition aircraft enforcing the no-fly zones over Iraq continuously assess the level of threat posed by the Iraqi forces and take actions that are necessary to reduce these threats and to defend themselves.

These aircraft are part of Operation Southern Watch that enforces United Nations sanctions and restrictions of the no-fly zone south of the 33^rd parallel in Iraq.