U.S. warplanes bombed communication and command facilities Friday in the most powerful bombardment of the capital in days. U.S. forces launched a strike defense officials said was directed to hamper communications between Saddam Hussein's leadership and his military. A B-2 bomber dropped two satellite-guided "bunker busting" bombs on a major communications tower on the east bank of the Tigris River in downtown Baghdad, the officials said.
The bombings, which started shortly after 11 p.m. Thursday, were the strongest felt in the city in days.
Powerful explosions continued through the night and after dawn. Aircraft were heard flying overhead, followed by intermittent bursts of anti-aircraft fire. The Palestine Hotel, where many reporters are staying, shook violently. A blast afer sunrise raised a pall of dark smoke from the eastern part of the city.
During the night's bombardment, aircraft and Tomahawk missiles "took out communications and command and control facilities in the capital city," said Lt. Cmdr. Charles Owens, a spokesman at the command center in Camp As Sayliyah, Doha.
The Qatar-based satellite station Al-Jazeera said Baghdad's main telephone exchange was hit.
Iraq's satellite television channel was cutting in and out after the strikes.
Ships in the Mediterranean fired about 10 Tomahawks at targets in Baghdad and to the north. Other huge explosions were heard southwest of Baghdad.
In northern Iraq, strikes in the Mosul area started at about 10:30 p.m.
Meanwhile, US commanders have poured 90,000 ground troops into Iraq since the start of the invasion and have another 120,000 troops in line to go to the region, a Pentagon official said.
Among the units with orders to deploy to the region are the 1st Armored Division in Germany, the 1st Cavalry Division in Texas, and the 2nd and 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiments in Louisiana and Colorado, the official said.
Troops from the 4th Infantry Division began departing Thursday to the region from their base at Fort Hood, Texas.
"If you would flow everyone it would be about 100,000 to 120,000 folks still in the pipeline," said the official, according to AFP.
The deployment orders had been previously announced, but Pentagon officials highlighted the quickening flow of forces amid mounting criticism from former military commanders that a larger force was needed to go against Baghdad.
US forces moving through southern Iraq have encountered much stiffer resistance than expected from Iraqi fighters.
But the official said 15,000 additional troops have moved into Iraq over the past day and a half, boosting the number in country to 90,000. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
