Armed U.S. Drones Striking Targets in South

The U.S. Air Force has begun using armed drones to strike targets in southern Iraq, the military’s top officer said. The pilotless Predators fly in conjunction with Air Force fighter jets that have been patrolling a “no-fly” zone over southern Iraq for more than a decade, said Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Predators have detected Iraqi gunners firing surface-to-air missiles or artillery, Myers said. The Predator, with its sophisticated sensors, can detect the Iraqi action and then launch one of its Hellfire missiles.