First Missiles Hit Bagdad At 05:50 Local Time

DEBKAfile

3/20/03

IST 05:50

Minutes before and after President George W. Bush made his announcement that the early stages of the military operation to undermine Saddam’s ability to wage war had begun, sirens and explosions were heard in Baghdad as the first Tomahawk cruise missiles and F117 stealth bombers went into action over Baghdad and Tikrit.

Pentagon officials disclosed that the cruise missiles in quantities measured in two digits were fired from vessels in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf. Targets were described as “senior Iraqi leadership” in Baghdad.