Israel lowers state of alert to Iraqi attack

Israel today lowered its state of alert regarding a feared attack from Iraq, telling citizens they no longer need to carry gas masks and keep a sealed room in their homes, the Defence Ministry said.

However, Patriot and Arrow anti-missile systems will remain in place for now, the ministry said. The decision means that 12,000 reserve soldiers called up at the start of the Iraq war, many for air defence units, will be able to go home.