Defense officials: War to start Thursday morning -- 3/20
The Jerusalem Post

March 19, 2003

Israeli defense officials said Wednesday that they expect the war with Iraq to begin immediately after the end of the 48-hour ultimatum handed to Saddam Hussein by US President George W. Bush.

The deadline ends at 3:00 am Thursday morning Israel time. The officials said that any delay in opening the war would only be caused by tactical considerations like weather conditions.

A senior IDF officer told Israel Radio that the US has completed its preparations for war and has all its forces in place.