Saddam Hussein threatens to attack military bases in Gulf states

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein threatened yesterday that Iraq is capable of attacking the bases that US and British planes use in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

In a statement released yesterday following his meeting with his top assistants, Hussein said Iraq is able to target the sources of aggression against Iraq in any place from which the US and British planes can launch.

These statements comes as confrontations between the US air forces and the Iraqi military have become an almost daily occurrence with Iraq anti-aircraft sites and planes posing challenges to the domination to the so-called Northern and Southern "no-fly zones" imposed on Iraq. The zones prevent Iraqi jets from flying in those regions. The US has stated that it will continue to strike at Iraqi targets so long as these challenges take place.

The statement, broadcast by the Iraqi News Agency, warned officials in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait against becoming involved in a war against Iraq.

Iraqi television displayed yesterday, pictures of Husein meeting with three of his highest assistants, including Ali Hassan El-Mejid, who was in charge of Kuwait during the invasion of 1990, to discuss US - British flights in Iraqi airspace.