US and British warplanes dropped precision bombs on Iraqi air defences today in response to anti-aircraft fire in Iraq's northern "no-fly" zone, a US Pentagon spokesman said.
"Coalition aircraft responded in self-defense to the Iraqi attacks by dropping precision guided munitions on elements of the Iraqi integrated air defense system," Lt. Col. Dave Lapan said by telephone.
A US Defense Department statement said Iraqi forces fired anti-aircraft weapons while coalition planes conducted routine enforcement in the "no-fly" zone.
The frequency of Western strikes against Iraq has fluctuated over the 11 years since the Gulf War, but they have risen sharply in recent months as speculation has grown that the United States might launch an attack against Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.