United States President George W. Bush unleashed a war to topple Saddam Hussein yesterday with dawn air strikes on Baghdad, but the Iraqi leader responded defiantly, denouncing the "criminal Bush" and firing missiles at Kuwait.
Several hours after the US raids on Baghdad, a Kuwaiti Defence Ministry spokesman said an Iraqi Scud and two smaller missiles struck northern Kuwait. No casualties were reported.
Iraqi information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf denied Iraq had any Scuds, which were banned under 1991 Gulf War ceasefire terms that also ordered Iraq to scrap its chemical, biological and nuclear weapons programmes.
US officers said two Scuds had hit Kuwait. The Kuwaiti News Agency said US Patriot anti-missile batteries shot down two incoming Scuds.
The attacks triggered air raid alerts in Kuwait City.
Britain said last year Iraq had retained up to 20 of the Soviet-designed Scuds, which can fly up to 650km.
Any confirmation that Iraq had used banned weapons might reduce criticism of the US-British military action.
Announcing the start of a campaign to oust Mr Saddam and disarm Iraq, Mr Bush said "selected targets" were hit. But US officials said an all-out air and ground offensive might be days away.
"These are the opening stages of what will be a broad and concerted campaign," Mr Bush said in a televised address about two hours after the expiry of a US ultimatum to Iraq.
He said the US military would seek a swift victory while trying to avoid civilian casualties. But he warned the conflict could be "longer and more difficult than some predict".
Oil prices tumbled to three-month lows as dealers bet on a swift US victory with little disruption to Middle East supply.
Mr Sahaf said the US strikes hit mostly empty media and customs buildings, and civilian districts. One civilian was killed and several wounded, he said.
A British military spokesman said some cruise missiles targeted a meeting of five Iraqi officials in Baghdad. An Iraqi minister said a US bid to "assassinate" Mr Saddam had failed.
The British spokesman did not name the officials, but it was reported the raid was ordered after the CIA had located where Mr Saddam was meeting aides in a private residence.
US officials said the aim of the raids was to "decapitate" the Iraqi Government, but later television appearances by Mr Saddam and two aides suggested key figures had survived.
Three hours after the raid began, a grim-faced Mr Saddam appeared on state television in military uniform, black beret and thick-rimmed glasses, urging Iraqis to defend their country.
"The criminal little Bush has committed a crime against humanity," he said, reading from notes. It was not certain the broadcast was live but Mr Saddam mentioned when the attack began.
The war touched off a hail of international protest led by France, Russia and China - key United Nations Security Council members opposed to any military action not approved by the council.
"France regrets this action taken without the approval of the United Nations," President Jacques Chirac said in a televised address.
"No matter how long this conflict lasts, it will have serious consequences for the future."
March 22: As coalition forces thrust deep into southern Iraq, meeting only sporadic resistance yesterday, the US said it still hoped to topple President Saddam Hussein without an all-out war.
Reuters correspondent Luke baker, with the US 3rd Infantry Division, had advanced from Kuwait at least 150km into Iraq yesterday, racing north towards Baghdad.
British commandos, in a seaborne assault, captured the Faw peninsula on Iraq's southern tip and seized control of key oil installations, but US marines met tougher resistance at the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr, on the Kuwaiti border.
The marines, operating as part of a British-led force, later raised the Stars and Stripes over the town's new port.