The Anglo-American bombing blitz wounded 207 civilians, most of them women and children, said al-Sahhaf

WASHINGTON, March 22 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Launching their "shock and awe" aggression, the U.S. and British air forces flew 1,000 strike sorties and fired 1,000 cruise missiles at Iraq Friday, March 21.

A U.S. defense official said "they flew from 30 air bases in a dozen countries and five carriers."

The Iraqi capital Baghdad came under massive bombardment late Friday by at least 320 missiles that turned vast sections of the Iraqi capital into an inferno.

The British and U.S. bombing blitz wounded 207 civilians, most of them women and children, Iraqi Information Minister Mohammad Said al-Sahhaf said Saturday, march 22.

The casualties, who were being cared for in five different hospitals around the capital, were "hit in their homes", Sahhaf told a news conference.

"I invite you to visit them and ask them how and where they were hurt," he said, maintaining Iraq's rejection of the coalition's insistence it is striking only the regime and the military.

Over a 24-hour period, U.S. and British forces struck 1,500 targets with precision guided bombs and cruise missiles, Agence France-Presse (AFP) quoted a Pentagon official as saying.

B-2 stealth bombers launched raids from their home base at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, flying 38 hours round trip to drop 2,000 pound satellite guided bombs on targets in Iraq, the official said.

B-52 bombers fired conventional air launched cruise missiles on missions flown both from Fairford RAF, Britain and the British island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, the official said.

Also taking part in the raids were long-range B-1 bombers, F-117 stealth fighters, F-15 strike fighters, F-16 fighters, F/A-18 fighters, and A-10 Thunderbolt attack planes, according to the official.

They encountered heavy anti-aircraft artillery and surface-to-air fire, he confirmed.

In all, 1,000 cruise missiles were fired both from B-52s and U.S. navy ships in the Gulf, the official said.

U.S. and British aircraft flew 2,000 sorties, including 1,000 strike sorties during the 24-hour period, according to the official.

"It was the first time in history that all PGMs (precision guided munitions) were used" in such a wide assault, the official said.

"Bomb damage assessment is still ongoing," the official said.

They dropped mainly satellite-guided 2,000 pound Joint Direct Action Munitions (JDAMS), some of them with ground penetrating warhead, the official said.

F-117 stealth fighters dropped 2,000 pound GBU-27 laser-guided "bunker busting" bombs during the raids, the official said.

British Pilots "Awed" At Baghdad Ablaze   

"When we approached Baghdad it was a red glow on the horizon. The missiles were already doing their work," said a British wing commander

British air force pilots spoke Saturday of their "awe" at the aerial view of Baghdad ablaze, but also of the level of resistance Iraq put up.

"Baghdad was ablaze," said Wing Commander Derek Watson after returning safely to this desert base.

"There were explosions going off every few seconds," said Watson, who delivered Air Launched Anti Radiation Missiles (ALARM) to take out Baghdad's integrated air defense systems.

"We had anti-aircraft fire to one side and multiple rocket launchers were used against us, putting up about eight to 10 missiles.

"We could see them but they were never a threat," he added.

The British Tornado squadron paved the way for the massive aerial bombardment of Baghdad.

"We set off with a full payload of ALARMS and we saw them all go," he said.

Baghdad was already under a huge missile attack when the Tornadoes arrived and far more followed.

"When we got up we had to fly through a wall of coalition aircraft waiting to go in behind us," said the 39-year-old.

"It was in some ways the most dangerous part. There was so much up there. I have never seen anything like it," admitted the wing commander.

"When we approached Baghdad it was a red glow on the horizon. The missiles were already doing their work.

"But the Iraqis were still firing back. It is not over yet."

All of Watson's IX(B) squadron returned safely, as did the Tornado aircraft of 617 squadron (The Dam Busters), which were flying a separate and unspecified mission.

His navigator, Squadron Leader James Linter, added: "They talked about the attack on Baghdad being shocking and awesome, and that is what it was.

"I would not have wanted to be on the receiving end."

Earlier in the day Patriot missiles were launched to destroy several other Iraqi missiles aimed towards the base, plumes of smoke clearly visible in the sky overhead.