Israel prepared for attack by Saddam as US strike looms

ISRAELI army chief Moshe Yaalon said yesterday that Israel was prepared for an attack by Iraq as a conflict with Baghdad loomed after Washington said it would act against Saddam Hussein with or without world support.

Iraq fired 39 Scud missiles armed with conventional warheads at Israel during the 1991 US-led Gulf War, but Israeli officials fear this time Baghdad could fire non-conventional weapons if it feels the United States is about to oust Saddam.

Mr Yaalon said Israel's armed forces were "very well prepared" to withstand an Iraqi attack and the Israeli homefront defences were the most advanced in the world.