US plane blasts radar site, Iraq remains defiant

DUBAI, JAN 12: In a second major attack within 24 hours, a US F-16 fighter jet today blasted an Iraqi site as Baghdad kept up its threat ...

DUBAI, JAN 12: In a second major attack within 24 hours, a US F-16 fighter jet today blasted an Iraqi site as Baghdad kept up its threat to defy UN resolutions.

The US F-16, which was policing the northern no-fly zone, fired a high-speed anti-radiation missile (HARM) at an Iraqi early warning radar site at 8.am GMT.

“Radar was seen posing a threat to coalition forces in the area. The aircraft and crew returned safely to base and currently the damage is being assessed to Iraqi forces,” Pentagon spokesman Lt Col Steve Campbell said in Washington.

The attack came less than 24 hours after US fighter jets on Tuesday pounded two Iraqi missile sites in the northern no-fly zone in Iraq.But Iraq today kept up its threat to defy UN resolution setting its borders even as Washington vowed to strike back and said President Saddam Hussein has grown more frantic and agitated.’

“As a representative of the people of Iraq, I believe that parliament is right to call (for Iraq) to stop respecting the (UN)resolutions,” Iraqi national assembly speaker Saadun Hammadi had said on state television. “The resolutions are unjustified. If the Security Council does not respect its commitments, why should Iraq?” Hammadi asked.