US, British Warplanes Strike Sites in Northern Iraq

US, British Warplanes Strike Sites in Northern Iraq

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US and British warplanes struck Iraqi air defense targets in northern Iraq Thursday, going into action for the first time since last week's attack on targets near Baghdad, the US European Command said.

The strike was launched in retaliation against Iraqi forces that fired anti-aircraft artillery fire at coalition aircraft patrolling a no-fly zone in the north and targeted them with radar, the US European Command said in a statement.

"Coalition aircraft responded to the Iraqi attacks by dropping ordnance on elements of the Iraqi integrated air defense system," the statement said.

"Iraqi forces fired anti-aircraft artillery from sites north of Mosul while ONW (Operation Northern Watch) conducted routine enforcement of the northern no-fly zone," the European command said.

"Coalition aircraft were also targeted by Iraqi radar from sites southeast of Mosul," it said.

Key US allies in the Middle East and Europe fiercely denounced US-British raids on Iraq last week, with even countries who rallied behind the drive to oust Iraqi troops from Kuwait 10 years ago saying it was time Washington reconsider its policies.