Military facilities on three sides ofBaghdad came under heavy bombardment this afternoon aftersirens sounded in the capital.
There were at least nine explosions in the south, north andwest, sending plumes of thick black smoke rising into the sky ateach target.
One site bombed in south Baghdad houses the Al-Rashid militaryfacility.
It was the first air raid on the Iraqi capital during daylightsince war began Thursday.
US and British forces unleashed the expected "shock and awe" airblitz to pummel Iraqi President Saddam Hussein into submission onFriday night, a day after a series of surgical strikes.
A US defense source said US and British air forces flew 1,000strike sorties and fired 1,000 cruise missiles on Iraq yesterday, withUS Defence Secretary Mr Donald Rumsfeld saying Saddam's regime was"starting to lose control."