(Ha'aretz) - Gideon Alon The Israel Defense Forces is not expected to lower the level of alert in the next 24 hours, despite reports of the progress made by American forces in western Iraq, the region from which any missiles aimed at Israel would have to be launched. The Israeli public is still being instructed to carry gas masks with them at all times. A senior defense source noted that the Americans are making "very substantial" efforts in western Iraq to locate any Iraqi missiles or launchers that could be used against Israel. However, he added, even if the Americans were to step up their special forces activity in this region, they would not necessarily achieve total control over western Iraq, which is what would be needed for Israel to cancel its alert. Responding to an Iraqi television broadcast that displayed what it claimed was an Israeli missile fired from an American plane, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said Israel Military Industries (IMI) has supplied the American fleet with decoy missiles, which are used to confuse antiaircraft guns.
2003-03-21 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive