Minarets blare as bombs rain down

AIRCRAFT screamed in low over the Iraqi capital, shaking buildings early yesterday with a heavy bombardment. As anti-aircraft guns responded, a call of ‘God is great’ rang out from a mosque.

Heavy explosions hit Baghdad through the night. One large explosion shook a Ministry of Planning building within the Old Palace, a presidential compound hit in earlier attacks.

They appeared to be the strongest air strikes since Friday night, when Tomahawk missiles rained down on the city of five million people, smashing several of Saddam Hussein's palaces and government buildings.