Iraqi Warplanes Again Hit Iran’s Facilities in Gulf

Iraq attacked Iran’s offshore oil facilities in the Persian Gulf for the second successive day Sunday, but the American convoy operation continued, with six U.S. warships shepherding two Kuwaiti tankers into the waterway.

Arab states in the gulf region were bracing themselves for an expected Iranian retaliation against Iraq’s allies after Saturday’s Iraqi air strikes, which ended a six-week de facto truce in the so-called tanker war in the gulf.

Iran’s foreign minister, Ali Akbar Velayati, said in a letter to U.N. Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar that there is “no doubt” that the Iraqi raids will be avenged by Iran.

“Iran’s retaliation,” Velayati said, “may also include facilities which equip Iraq and beef up its war machine.”

In the past, Iran has threatened to strike economic targets in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia for their assistance to Iraq. The threats have raised fears for the American warships now escorting Kuwaiti-owned tankers through the gulf.

According to reporters observing from helicopters off the southern gulf state of Dubai, the American convoy transited the Strait of Hormuz early Sunday on its way to Kuwait. It was the fourth convoy of re-registered Kuwaiti tankers since the American escort operation began last month.

In an apparent precaution against Iranian attack in light of the Iraqi raids, the U.S. force consisted of six warships--the largest and most powerfully armed of the four convoys so far.

The reporters said the convoy was preceded by airborne Sea Stallion helicopters operating off the helicopter carrier Guadalcanal in an effort to detect mines in the path of the ships. A supertanker involved in the first escort operation, the Bridgeton, was damaged by a mine on its way to Kuwait to pick up oil.

Protective Cordon

The American warships kept a protective cordon around the reflagged Kuwaiti tankers, the Surf City and the Chesapeake City, as they slowly moved up the southern gulf, according to the reports from Dubai. They were expected to complete their 550-mile journey on Tuesday.

After the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has the capability to deploy shore-to-ship missiles, the gravest danger to the present convoy is underwater mines and attacks by Iranian Revolutionary Guards in high-speed boats.

Previous American convoys involved at most three or four escort warships, but they sailed under the protection of a U.N.-ordered cease-fire resolution, adopted July 20, which had virtually halted attacks on shipping in the gulf.

In the intervening weeks, Iraq had become increasingly frustrated as Iran boosted its petroleum exports to more than 2 million barrels a day unimpeded by Iraqi air raids.

Iraqi Leader’s Vow

On Saturday, Iraqi warplanes bombed a number of smaller Iranian offshore oil facilities, with President Saddam Hussein vowing to “destroy all the economic arteries which finance their military aggression.”

On Sunday, Iraqi aircraft attacked Iran’s Kharg Island oil terminal, the primary loading point for Iranian crude oil being shipped abroad.

Shipping sources said that tugboat crews operating in the vicinity spotted columns of smoke rising from the eastern jetty at Kharg Island, but the extent of the damage was not clear.

A war communique issued in Baghdad said Iraqi warplanes had also hit a “large maritime target,” which is usually Iraqi shorthand for claiming to have hit a tanker.

Basra Shelled, Iraq Says

Iraq also accused Iran of artillery shelling against Basra, Iraq’s second largest city. Iranian forces last year battled to within 10 miles of the port city.

Meanwhile, the master of a ship reported hit at Iran’s Sirri Island on Saturday, the Iranian-owned Alvand, telephoned the British Broadcasting Corp. in London to report that his ship was undamaged.

While Iran has threatened to retaliate with a “crushing response” to Iraq’s latest attacks, there have been indications that it may refrain from overt attacks while diplomatic moves are under way to settle the war.

Some nations have called for mandatory sanctions or an arms embargo against Iran if the fighting resumes. According to Western diplomats, Iran may feel that it stands to gain more by appearing to be the injured party.