Baghdad rocked by most powerful bombardment

Thunderous explosions rocked Baghdad today and a towering column of orange smoke rose over the city as the coalition forces unleashed their most powerful bombardment in days.

US jets and Tomahawk cruise missiles pounded the Iraqi capital with munitions including two 4,700lb satellite-guided “bunker-busting” bombs dropped by a B-2 stealth bomber on a major communications tower beside the River Tigris.

The bombing was aimed at disrupting communications between Saddam Hussein’s leadership and his military, US officials said. Iraqi officials said at least seven people had died.

Air strikes also hit the Republican Guard – Saddam’s best-trained and best-equipped fighters – who are ranged around the city of five million.

The attack gutted a seven-storey telephone exchange building in the Al-Alwya neighbourhood, leaving the street strewn with slabs of concrete, irons rods and corrugated metal.

Husein Moeini, telecommunications director of Baghdad, said he believed people were buried under the rubble, but journalists who arrived at the scene less than three hours after it was hit did not see a rescue operation under way.

At a second telephone exchange, Al-Rasheed, the 10-storey building was largely intact, except for some broken windows. Next to it, however, was a huge crater in the road where Iraqi officials said a missile had apparently lodged without exploding.

Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed al Sahhaf said the overnight air strikes had killed seven people in Baghdad and wounded 92.

“They hit the ministry of information, ministry of planning, the communications. In these buildings are civilians who go there to do their business,” he said.

“These buildings are in the city. When they target these buildings, they also hit houses and homes next to these buildings.”

Sahhaf denounced speculation that the Iraqi forces would use chemical weapons. Advancing forces recently found chemical weapons suits and gas masks left behind by soldiers in retreat.

He said having such equipment is standard procedure for any army – including those of Britain and the United States.

The people of Baghdad knew a punishing attack was coming after a two-day sandstorm that had grounded many coalition warplanes gave way to blue skies yesterday.

Powerful explosions continued through the night and after the sun rose, with aircraft swooping low over the city. Anti-aircraft fire was intermittent.

Thick smoke drifted across the capital from the bombings and from fires started by authorities to conceal targets. Police and ambulance sirens wailed.

Hours before the bombardment, Iraq’s defence minister was defiant, insisting that the real battle for Baghdad will be a drawn-out street fight.

“The enemy must come inside Baghdad, and that will be its grave,” Sultan Hashim Ahmed said.

“We feel that this war must be prolonged so the enemy pays a high price.”

US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, however, suggested American troops might lay siege to the capital rather than invade, in the hope its citizens will rise up against the government.

During the overnight bombardment, aircraft and Tomahawk missiles “took out communications and command and control facilities in the capital city,” said Lt Cmdr Charles Owens, a spokesman at the command centre in Qatar.

The Arab satellite station Al-Jazeera said Baghdad’s main telephone exchange was hit. Still, telephones were working in many parts of the city this morning. Iraq’s satellite television channel was cutting in and out after the air strikes.

Also targeted was a building inside the Old Palace presidential compound on the west bank of the Tigris, which includes a camp of the Republican Guard attacked last week.

An explosion about 700 yards west of the Information Ministry sent scores of journalists fleeing.

Witnesses said an unknown number of people were killed and injured in an attack on a housing complex for employees of a weapons-producing facility.

In northern Iraq, the Mosul area was also targeted by strikes overnight.

Iraqi state television said Saddam chaired a meeting of the ruling Baath Party, his top aides and his son Qusai.

No video was shown, but it was reported that Saddam and the leadership urged Iraqi fighters to exploit the “exhaustion” of coalition forces.

Silent video was shown of another meeting of Saddam, Qusai and other party officials.