Iraq's Hamdoon: We are sick and tired of this, as U.S. hits Iraqi site

A U.S. F-16 fighter jet fired a radar seeking missile at an Iraqi radar installation near Basra today after allied aircraft in the no-fly zone determined that they were being tracked by the radar.

U.S. Secretary of Defense William Cohen said that a "Harm missile was fired at the site" of the radar, and that "at this point, we can't determine if the missile hit its target." Cohen said "We have not seen any evidence that the Iraqis are on a higher alert" and we hope that this is an isolated incident.

The decision was made in "a split second type operation" referring to the time the radar was on the British planes that were flying in the area. "It is an act of self defense" said Cohen.

U.S. Vice president Al Gore asked that "we should not draw any conclusions" from this act, and the U.S. does not see a change in deployment of its force in the Gulf.

Iraqi officials said that this act is unjustified and unprovoked.An Arab official who did not want to be identified expressed wonder about the timing of this incident in light of the "very important Jerusalem discussions occupying the attention of the Arab states," as this issue is to be taken before the United Nations for a condemnation of Israel.

Iraq's ambassador to the U.N. Nizar Hamdoon said that the Iraqi "radar was not active" and this act is a continuation of U.S. violation of Iraq air space, adding "we are sick and tired" of this.