Iran, Iraq Attack Cities; Blast Shakes Baghdad

The Iraqi military said its warplanes attacked four cities and an army camp in Iran on Saturday. Iran said it struck back with an air raid on a border town and artillery barrages against nine centers, causing “huge destruction.” No official casualty reports were available.

Early today, a powerful explosion shook Baghdad, shortly after an announcement by Iran that it had fired two surface-to-surface missiles at the Iraqi capital in retaliation for recent attacks on Iranian cities. The exact cause, location and damage could not be determined immediately.

An Iraqi military spokesman reported raids on Sar-e Pol-e Zahab, Gilan-e Gharb, Mehran, Hormuzabad and the Hamid army camp. He said all planes returned safely.

Iran’s official news agency later confirmed the raids on Sar-e Pol-e Zahab and Gilan-e Gharb. It said Iranian jets retaliated by attacking “economic installations and military targets” in the central Iraqi border town of Jassan, 120 miles southeast of Baghdad.

The official Iraqi news agency said a lone Iranian warplane raided Jassan’s elementary school. “The barbaric raid resulted in the demolishing of the school and the wounding of 70 pupils, some seriously,” the agency said.

Iran’s news agency said that Iranian artillery batteries pounded economic and military targets in the southern Iraqi city of Basra and eight other population centers for the fourth straight day, causing “huge destruction.” Iraq did not comment on the report.

It was not possible to confirm the warring nations’ claims. Western correspondents are generally barred from the war zone.

Meanwhile, diplomats reported that hundreds of foreigners fearing for their safety have left Baghdad after a series of seven explosions in the city since March 14.

Iraqi officials blamed saboteurs for the first two explosions, but Iran said were all caused by medium-range surface-to-surface missiles fired into Baghdad.

The diplomats said that several Asian and European embassies have advised their nationals to avoid central Baghdad and that some have recommended that non-essential workers and dependents leave the country.

Diplomats said nationals from Britain, South Korea, the Soviet Union and a number of East European countries have left.

The U.S. Embassy said no special advice has been given to the few dozen Americans in Baghdad.