WASHINGTON (IslamOnline) - The United Kingdom’s Sunday Times claims that Iraqi ruler Saddam Hussein has placed his army on alert in order to fight Israel. The Republican Guard's Hammurabi tank division has allegedly been moved from its permanent base to a new location at Al-Rabtah, west of Baghdad, and is reported to be on a 24-hour standby.
But a much bigger headache for Israel's military is the possibility of a low-altitude attack by Iraqi warplanes with chemical weapon payloads.
The moves have caused much alarm in Israel as the state is closely monitoring the new events.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has warned that Iraqi armored divisions could join Syria in a regional war against Israel if their conflict with Palestinians is not resolved peacefully.
The Sunday Times quoted a leading Israeli expert on Saddam, academician Amtazia Baram, as saying, "The Iraqis have done it in the past - in 1973 - and there is no reason why they would not do it again."
Saddam, in another show of force, appeared on state television after a long absence for Iraq's army day Friday, said, "We are celebrating the army that fought the war against Iran and in the 'mother of all battles'," he said, referring to the 1991 Gulf War.
