Coalition bombing raids on the Iraqi capital Baghdad have continued this afternoon, with dozens of massive explosions heard in the city.
Arabic news channelAl-Jazeera is broadcasting images of thick smoke rising from severalpoints of the city. There is no sign of anti-aircraft fire.
Iraqi television is now back on the air after US-led attacks on the capital stopped it broadcasting for six hours. The satellite dishes used by the channel sit on the Iraqi Information Ministry, with its studios and offices housed nearby.
The high-rise building, seen as the heart of President Saddam Hussein's propaganda machine, was blasted by a coalition missile early today.
Three huge blasts rocked the centre of the city earlier today, sparking a fire close to the ministry complex, as the air assault on Baghdad entered its 12th day.
At daybreak several hours later, two more explosions reverberated through central Baghdad, hitting the presidential palace used by Qusay Hussein, Saddam's son.
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He commands Saddam's loyal Republican Guard. His compound on the western bank of the river Tigris was last hit by several missiles in the first days of the US-led war.
The high-profile strikes came as US and British forces intensified the air war on Baghdad and mounted a sustained series of bombings on the city outskirts where Republican Guard units are believed to be dug in to defend the capital.
US Central Command war headquarters in Qatar issued a statement saying the Information Ministry had been targeted with a Tomahawk missile "to reduce the Hussein regime's command and control capabilities".
"Coalition forces target only lawful military targets and go to great lengths to minimise civilian casualties and damage to civilian facilities," the statement said, adding that 1,800 sorties had been carried out in the past 24 hours.
Iraqi officials said yesterday's air raids killed six civilians in the industrial area of Zafraniya south of Baghdad.
Agencies