US jet attacks Iraqi anti-aircraft site

A US jet has attacked an anti-aircraft artillery site in southern Iraq.

Officials claim it is in response to recent Iraqi attempts to shoot down US and British pilots.

The strike was the first in southern Iraq since American and British planes attacked several air defence sites around Baghdad in February.

The attack by the F-15 warplane was near the city of As Samawah on the Euphrates River, about 130 miles south of Baghdad, say US officials.

US and RAF jets regularly patrol the skies over southern and northern Iraq to enforce no fly zones meant to prevent Iraqi forces from attacking rebel Kurds in the north and Shiites in the south.

US Central Command said precision-guided weapons were used against the anti-aircraft artillery site but did not specify the weapon or give any indication of damage inflicted.