US officials tonight claimed Iraq is already in breach of a UN resolution designed to force it to disarm after it reportedly fired on allied aircraft patrolling the skies over the country.
However, a White House spokesperson said it would not call for an immediate recall of the Security Council to discuss possible military action against Iraq.
The action follows the bombing of northern Iraq this evening by US and British warplanes, according to Iraqi military authorities. Iraq has accused the US of violating international law by implementing no-fly zones across its territory and using the UN as a cover for its aggression.
The number of incidents involving the patrols over the zones in northern and southern Iraq has risen sharply in recent months as speculation grows the US could launch an attack to oust Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
The latest incident occurred on the day a team of UN arms inspectors arrived in Baghdad to relaunch a search for weapons of mass destruction after a four-year break.
The US European Command (EUCOM) said the aircraft opened fire on Iraqi air defences after being "threatened" by Iraqi forces.
"Coalition aircraft responded in self-defence to the Iraqi attacks by dropping precision-guided munitions on elements of the Iraqi integrated air defence system," EUCOM said in a written statement published on its Web site.
The official Iraqi News Agency quoted an Iraqi military spokesman as saying US and British warplanes had attacked "civilian" targets in Nineveh province, 400 km north of Baghdad. There were no reports of casualties.
Iraq labels the no-fly zones a violation of its sovereignty.
AFP