DEBKAfile War Headlines -- U.S. uses "E-Bomb" for first time. Coalition forces slowed by stiff resistance

March 26, 2003

 

Falling missile kills at least 15 in north Baghdad market area Wednesday morning. Images screened on Iraqi television which resumed broadcast after being silenced by allied bomb before dawn

DEBKAfile’s military sources: Coalition War Command ponders Baghdad offensive Saturday timeline. Allied advance on capital is slowed by stiff Iraqi resistance and counter-attacks in Basra and Najef region and hold-up of US 4th Armored Division by closure of Turkish route. 4th troops landing at Saudi Red Sea port of Yanbo

DEBKAfile: Egyptian leader Mubarak asks Blair to head off allied attack on Baghdad when he meets Bush in US Thursday

US 7th Cavalry and 3rd Infantry Divisions delayed early Wednesday outside Najef on road to Baghdad when Euphrates bridge gave way under weight of their tanks. Iraqi tank force attacked American unit on both sides of river, taking some 150 losses.

Fighting in Basra intensifies Wednesday after Iraqi Fedayeen and paramilitaries throw back British 7th Brigade’s drive into city in support of anti-Saddam Shiite militia. Iraqi forces come under bombing and missile strikes from allied warplanes.

DEBKAfile reveals that US command sent anti-Saddam Shiite militia of 3,000 into Basra under Majid, son of revered Iraqi Shiite Ayatollah Khoei, in bid to overwhelm Uday Hussein’s paramilitaries before assault begins on Baghdad

Wednesday dawn raids over Baghdad knocked out Iraqi satellite television and communications center with E-Bomb designed to disable computers, radar and transmitters. Mosul and al Qaeda-linked Ansar base in north come under heavy bombardment

Heavy long-range B52 bomber took off from Fairford, UK early Wednesday

DEBKAfile’s military sources: Saddam’s Fedayeen around Baghdad armed with super-gun capable of firing chemical, biological and nuclear shells. Al Medina Division known to be armed with chemical weapons.


Black Hawk helicopters and small Cessna Citation jets go on round-the-clock air patrols over New York in case of terrorist reprisals for US war on Iraq

Last Updated on March 26, 2003, 12:49 PM (GMT+02:00)