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CNN Live At Daybreak
U.S. Offensive Dubbed 'Operation Ivy Cyclone'
Aired November 17, 2003 - 06:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: A show of military might, U.S. forces unleash Operation Ivy Cyclone. It's a new offensive to root out guerrillas in Tikrit.
To CNN's Alphonso Van Marsh in Baghdad.
Good morning.
ALPHONSO VAN MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
As you mentioned, that massive show of force is called Operation Ivy Cyclone II, and it's meant to root out so-called non-compliant groups, opposition fighters in Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit.
Now, if you take a look at some of these pictures, you'll see laser-guided missiles and 500-pound warheads -- just some of the ordnance used to light up the sky over Saddam Hussein's hometown over the weekend.
There is no word on casualties, but at the very least, it's intended to be a mighty show of force.
Let me give you an example. One of the targets was Al-Dawri (ph) Palace. Now, that palace is an unfinished, abandoned former summer home of a former Iraqi regime leader. Now, this empty building isn't exactly a hot bed of coalition activity -- excuse me -- I should say of opposition activity, but the coalition says it is a legitimate target nonetheless.
Now, they also targeted four homes north of Tikrit. These homes -- that's where the U.S. military says they found suspects believed to be behind the November 7 downing of another U.S. Black Hawk helicopter. Six U.S. forces died in that attack.
Now, what makes this interesting is the coalition forces went to this neighborhood and actually warned residents ahead of time that their homes would be destroyed. And then, about an hour before the U.S. military shot Hellfire missiles into these homes, they double- checked to be sure that the residents had left and had a chance to collect some personal belongings -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Alphonso Van Marsh reporting live from Baghdad this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired November 17, 2003 - 06:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: A show of military might, U.S. forces unleash Operation Ivy Cyclone. It's a new offensive to root out guerrillas in Tikrit.
To CNN's Alphonso Van Marsh in Baghdad.
Good morning.
ALPHONSO VAN MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
As you mentioned, that massive show of force is called Operation Ivy Cyclone II, and it's meant to root out so-called non-compliant groups, opposition fighters in Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit.
Now, if you take a look at some of these pictures, you'll see laser-guided missiles and 500-pound warheads -- just some of the ordnance used to light up the sky over Saddam Hussein's hometown over the weekend.
There is no word on casualties, but at the very least, it's intended to be a mighty show of force.
Let me give you an example. One of the targets was Al-Dawri (ph) Palace. Now, that palace is an unfinished, abandoned former summer home of a former Iraqi regime leader. Now, this empty building isn't exactly a hot bed of coalition activity -- excuse me -- I should say of opposition activity, but the coalition says it is a legitimate target nonetheless.
Now, they also targeted four homes north of Tikrit. These homes -- that's where the U.S. military says they found suspects believed to be behind the November 7 downing of another U.S. Black Hawk helicopter. Six U.S. forces died in that attack.
Now, what makes this interesting is the coalition forces went to this neighborhood and actually warned residents ahead of time that their homes would be destroyed. And then, about an hour before the U.S. military shot Hellfire missiles into these homes, they double- checked to be sure that the residents had left and had a chance to collect some personal belongings -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Alphonso Van Marsh reporting live from Baghdad this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
