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Iraq fires anti-aircraft artillery at coalition aircraft

Released: 1 Mar 1999

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INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey (AFPN) -- In response to anti-aircraft artillery fire, a flight of Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles launched three air-to-ground missiles and dropped three laser-guided bombs on an Iraqi air defense headquarters and radio relay site Feb. 28.

The incident occurred between 1:55 and 2:15 p.m. Iraqi time as coalition forces conducted routine enforcement of the northern no-fly zone.

Additionally, between 2:13 and 2:20 p.m. Iraqi time, F-15E's dropped two GBU-12 and three GBU-24 precision-guided munitions near Mosul, Iraq.

There was no damage to coalition aircraft. Damage to Iraqi forces is currently being assessed.

A day earlier, at about 9 a.m. Iraqi time, F-15E's and Navy F/A-18 Hornets and F-14 Tomcats enforcing the Operation Southern Watch no-fly zone struck two Iraqi military communication facilities.

The strikes were conducted near As Samawah, about 130 miles southeast of Baghdad, and Al Amarah, about 170 miles southeast of Baghdad. The strikes were in response to anti-aircraft artillery fire directed at coalition aircraft on a previous mission.

The aircraft, operating from land and sea bases in the Southwest Asia region, responded to the Iraqi provocation by releasing precision-guided munitions against the ground targets. Damage assessment is ongoing, and all aircraft involved in the strike have returned to base safely.

Coalition air and naval forces are responsible for enforcing the no-fly zones over Iraq and U.N.-mandated maritime sanctions. At the same time, according to a U.S. Central Command statement, "these forces continuously assess the level of threat posed by the Iraqi forces and take actions necessary to reduce these threats and to defend themselves."

Since the end of Operation Desert Fox, there have been more than 90 Southern Watch no-fly zone violations and more than 30 incidents involving Iraqi surface-to-air missiles, anti-aircraft artillery and target tracking radar illuminations against coalition aircraft. Coalition forces enforcing the southern no-fly zone have responded by attacking more than 35 targets that threatened coalition forces and violated U.N. Security Council resolutions.

"Despite repeated warnings," added the U.S. CENTCOM statement, "Iraqi actions and intentions pose serious threats to our aircrews, and our actions today are an appropriate response to these threats."