Huge Iraq air raid targets al-Qaida

AMERICAN bombers and jet fighters unleashed 40,000 pounds of explosives on the southern outskirts of Baghdad within 10 minutes yesterday in one of the biggest airstrikes of the war, flattening what the military called safe havens for al-Qaida in Iraq.

The massive attack, carried out above approaching US and Iraqi troops, was part of Operation Phantom Phoenix, a nationwide campaign launched on Tuesday last against al-Qaida in Iraq.

Major Alayne Conway, a military spokeswoman, said the amount of ordnance dropped in 10 minutes nearly exceeded what had been dropped in that region in any month since the US military surge began in June 2007.

Ms Conway said the air attack “was one of the largest airstrikes since the onset of the war” in March 2003. The air raid was followed by a ground attack that led to 12 arrests and the discovery of two houses used to torture kidnap victims, according to an Iraqi army officer. He said the troops faced no resistance.

A military statement said two B-1 bombers and four F-16 fighters dropped the bombs on 40 targets in 10 strikes.