The missiles launched by Iraq at targets in Kuwait on Thursday were not Scuds, as was originally believed, but FROG (Free Rocket Over Ground) missiles - or something similar — which have a maximum range of 70 kilometers.
Old Russian model.
According to Israeli defense officials, the short-range conventional missile attack on U.S. troops does not reflect a significant change in the Iraqi approach, and does not require Israel to change its state of readiness. Apparently, three FROG missiles were fired at U.S. targets in Iraq, two in the morning and one in the afternoon, two of which were intercepted by U.S. Patriot missiles. The missiles were fired hours after dozens of U.S. Cruise missiles slammed into Baghdad in what the Pentagon called a "decapitation strike" aimed at the Iraqi leadership. Though none none of the missiles bore non-conventional warheads, soldiers were ordered to don protective suits and gas masks.
| That's a pretty basic precaution... |
U.S. Marines said later Thursday one of the missiles fired by Iraq at Kuwait had landed near their camp in the Gulf state's northern desert. "An unidentified missile struck outside Camp Commando at approximately 10.28 this morning. Initial reports cited that soldiers from the U.K. and (U.S.) Marines sighted a gray missile land just outside the compound," said a statement by the U.S. Marine Corps First Marine Expeditionary Force. "An NBC (Nuclear, Biological and Chemical) team was despatched and completed an emergency survey of the site at 10.40 a.m. No chemical munitions were found and no Marines were injured or killed," it added.
Fox had pictures of Marines looking at the wreckage.
The missile was believed to be one of two surface-to-surface missiles reported to have landed in Kuwait in the morning.
So far so good. |