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CNN Newsnight Aaron Brown

War Rumbles Across Iraq

Aired March 30, 2003 - 20:00   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.


WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Baghdad shakes under an almost continuous assault from the air, but in the United States, questions and doubts about the coalitions war plans simply won't go away.
Good evening, once again from Kuwait City, I'm Wolf Blitzer.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: And good evening, Wolf. Good evening, everyone. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Anderson Cooper.

Throughout the night, as Wolf said, we have heard explosions in and around Iraq's capital city. From time to time, of course, television cameras catch the huge plumes of smoke and dust rising into the night sky. That's a shot taken earlier.

For the next hour, we are going to look at how the war in Iraq got to this particular point on this particular day. We're going to take you through the events of the last 24 hours in the order in which they happened. Then, we're going to step back and bring the picture into focus.

We've noticed certain themes developing in the last 24 hours or so. Coalition forces are going after Iraq's leadership not just the top leaders in Baghdad but field commanders in government-held cities.

The threat of suicide bombings is another developing story and the threat is not just confined to Iraq.

Another theme, the ongoing effort to convince Iraqi citizens that the coalition really has their best interest at heart, that better days are coming to Iraq and coming soon.

BLITZER: All right, let's start in Baghdad. Saturday night, 6:00 p.m. Eastern, TV cameras peering out at the skyline report new attacks by coalition bombers and cruise missiles. The attacks were continued through the rest of the night and all day Sunday. Our senior international correspondent, Nic Robertson, is watching along the Jordanian/Iraqi border.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, some of the first impacts began around dusk yesterday, 24 hours ago. It began around dusk. That's 6:00 p.m. Baghdad time. They continued into the evening. There were fires then burning. Missiles appeared to impact inside an apartment area very close to the ministry of information in Baghdad.

Through the day today, if you will, reporters who are still allowed to be in Baghdad that I've talked with today, say that in the city there had been a vastly increased number of air raids. They talked about multiple explosions to the south of the city, towards where coalition forces might advance when they come towards Baghdad. They talked about impacts in the east of Baghdad. They say that through the day, there's been very little anti-aircraft gunfire, that some of the communications in the city -- some of the communications in the city have gone down.

Now, as it fell into darkness again in Baghdad, impacts in the area of Karada (ph). This is an area in the center of Baghdad. It is a shopping district, a residential district. A little after those impacts were reported, a big fire was seen very close to downtown Baghdad. It appeared to be an oil fire. There was huge of ball of flame, yellow-orange flame, black smoke coming up from this fire. Not clear if this was a fire set by the Iraqis to drive smoke into the air to cloud the vision of the coalition bombers flying over the city or whether coalition forces had actually hit a fuel dump in the center of the city. That was not clear.

A few hours after that and just a couple of hours ago now, an impact again, almost in exactly the same area. Close to the information ministry were 24 hours before there had been an attack on this occasion. A small fire erupting at the back of a department store. The 28th of April Shopping Center named after the president, Saddam Hussein's, birthday, an area in close proximity to the ministry of information and close proximity tot a residential area, a government residential area where many Ba'ath Party officials and party members live, an area where retired military officers live and other professionals as well -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Nic, have you discerned any significant shift in the Iraqi messages that are coming across on Iraqi television today as opposed to yesterday or the day before? Or have they been pretty consistent in what they're saying?

ROBERTSON: Consistent but emphasizing one point. We've heard today from the health minister, but it was a spokesman for the military and the information minister who both struck the same theme. They criticized coalition forces. And this was something new. They criticized coalition forces for what they said was destroying humanitarian aid stores in the south of Iraq. Of course, what the coalition forces have been doing indeed in the south is distributing food aid. But that's what Iraqi officials were saying today.

On the issue of suicide bombings, both the information minister and the military official saying that there would be suicide bombings in the future. And they both said that not only would it be military -- Iraqi military forces taking part but that an increasing number of Arab forces were coming back to Baghdad. Those Arab forces, they said, would be joining in the suicide missions -- Anderson.

COOPER: Nic, thanks very much.

Our next stop is Basra, Iraq's main seaport and the heart of its southern oil facilities. British troops are surrounding the city. They have been for days, but they've not yet tried to capture it. As the night wears on, it becomes obvious that the British have another kind of capture in mind. Here's reporter, David Bowden.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID BOWDEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The brigade reconnaissance force of 3 Commando moves along the line of challenge to two tanks and into the village of Abu al-Qaseed (ph) on the southeastern edge of Basra. The BRF part of a big coalition push into the area to cut off a vital escape route out of Iraq's second city. The mission began first light. The Marines illuminating their targets with flares.

Resistance was patchy, but in places, there were fierce firefights as Iraqi hardliners dug in. The Marines had air support and artillery as backup, but this was the first full scale commando attack since the Falkans War more than 20 years ago.

Operation James, as it was called, was planned here at the brigade headquarters. Senior officers plotting every twist and turn of the battle on their detailed maps.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And we'll block off the exit from the area and then, we'll be able to move forward and contain any enemy that are outside of it. But I think there will be tidying up to do in terms of the last remnants of the enemy.

BOWDEN: Information came in of enemy positions and prisoners. A number of senior Iraqi officers were captured.

(on camera): Why did they call it Operation James? Well, it's after James Bond. All the objectives have names like Blowfeld, Moore, Connery, and even Pussy Galore.

(voice-over): In Abu Al-Qaseed (ph), much of the area is under Royal Marine control. But Operation James is far from over and there is still resistance.

David Bowden in southern Iraq.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: In the eastern United States it was just before dawn Sunday morning, in Israel, it was already broad daylight, and Sunday's next major development had exploded. That's next in our look at this day.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Well, for the first time in three weeks, Israel has become the scene of a suicide bombing. This time around the people claiming responsibility for it say it's a -- quote -- "gift to the Iraqi people." CNN's Kelly Wallace reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Outside the London Cafe in Netanya, a suicide bomber shatters the quiet inside Israel since the start of the Iraq war. This man was walking by when he heard an explosion.

SYDNEY BOGG, NETANYA RESIDENT: Then it was big boom, then many soldiers here. Two soldiers was down here. Many blood, many people skip from here. Big parameter.

WALLACE: Police say a man blew himself up outside the indoor/outdoor cafe injuring dozens of Israelis, including 10 off duty soldiers. All were enjoying lunch on a beautiful spring day. Some in Netanya saw a possible connection to the American and British invasion in nearby Iraq.

MIRIAM FIREBERG, MAYOR OF NETANYA: I don't know if it's a symbol. I didn't think about it until now, but you see this is the London Cafe, so who knows.

WALLACE: This man said he's sure the two are connected. "Because they think that America is doing a job on our behalf but that's not correct," he told us. The leader of the radical Palestinian group, Islamic Jihad, in Gaza claims responsibility saying the attack was also done in -- quote -- "solidarity with the Iraqi people and their steadfastness against the attack of the British and Americans, who are serving the interests of Israel first and foremost."

Only a few hours after the attack by the 20-year-old man from the West Bank town of Tulkorum (ph), according to Islamic Jihad, an alert about a suspicious item. Police clear the area near the London Cafe and use bomb detection equipment to determine this box was not an explosive.

Netanya has been the site of many terrorist attacks, including the deadliest suicide bombing ever in Israel. Almost exactly a year ago when a man killed 29 Israelis sitting down for Passover dinner.

(on camera): Since the war in Iraq began, many Israelis had been waiting to see if Israel would be hit by an Iraqi missile. Instead the country was hit with a familiar weapon and now, some Israelis worry more such attacks will take place especially as the military campaign against Saddam Hussein continues.

Kelly Wallace, CNN, Netanya, Israel.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And let's get a little bit more background now on the extremist group that calls itself Islamic Jihad. Jim Walsh is a terrorism expert at Harvard University. He's joining us now live from Boston.

Jim, thanks so much for joining us. What exactly is this Islamic Jihad?

JIM WALSH, TERRORISM EXPERT, HARVARD UNIVERSITY: Well, Wolf, it can be a little confusing because a lot of terrorist groups use the phrase "Islamic Jihad" in their name. There is, of course, the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, which is closely associated with al Qaeda. This is a different group. This is the Palestinian Islamic Jihad founded in 1979 and whose -- an organization whose operations tend to focus on Israel and the surrounding areas, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, what have you. But they are focused on attacks, violent attacks on Israelis with the purpose of trying to liberate Palestine.

BLITZER: And now, supposedly, they're on their way to Iraq to help defeat the United States and British forces. Is that a credible threat we're hearing from the Iraqi leadership?

WALSH: Well, I think it's probably the case that there are Islamic nationalists in a variety of countries, including in the occupied territories, who might be able to find recruits who would want to go to Iraq. But I don't think it's credible in the sense that it's going to fundamentally change the military outcome. It is a political problem and they cause political costs, but it will change the balance of forces in the region.

BLITZER: Well, when you say it wont' change the balance of forces, suicide bombers can do a lot of damage, witness what happened in 1983 when those suicide bombers blew up a truck at the U.S. Marine barracks outside of Beirut and killed almost -- more than 200 Marines. And very quickly thereafter, the United States left that peacekeeping operation in Lebanon.

WALSH: You're absolutely right, Wolf. And I think it certainly proved that suicide terrorists could take a toll here. They could stay on in Iraq after the U.S. wins its military campaign and then begin to attack through snipers and suicide bombings Americans who stay on to try to help reconstruct Iraq.

But I think it's important to remember that it's a little different situation here, particularly given since just yesterday with the car bombing attack on the American Marines at the checkpoint, we see today a whole new list of precautions and security procedures that American forces will be following to try to prevent that from happening. I think that we are going to find that Americans are much more alert and they're going to be watching for this sort of attack in the future.

There will be attacks. Some will be successful, but on the whole, I don't think it will change the military outcome. It may lead to deaths and it may also complicate the politics. But at the end of the day, U.S. forces are far superior to anything that may be flowing in in the way of a volunteer force from other countries.

BLITZER: In the Israeli-Palestinian conflict you sometimes see suicide bombers who are not ultra-religious but they're just ultra- nationalistic. And as a result, they're secular, but they believe in their cause and they're willing to die for it. Do you think that that phenomenon is going to be translated to the war here in Iraq as well?

WALSH: I think that's a really interesting question because what you have here is an Islamist group, Islamic Jihad, which is very much a religious group inspired by the Iranian Revolution in 1979. But I think the reason why they are saying that this a gift to the Iraqi people is they are looking to widen their base and to invite more people to become part of them. Some of those may be folks who are secular, but who nevertheless are angry about the war in Iraq. So I think it's an interesting organizational move on the part of Islamic Jihad to associate itself with the antipathy and anger that is roiling through the Islamic world right now.

BLITZER: All right. Jim Walsh with Harvard University, thanks for your insight. And we'll be speaking with you, obviously, in the days and weeks to come.

And when we come back, a scenic mountain ridge in northern Iraq. Sunday morning was anything but peaceful. Up next on our look at the day, carpet bombing, but first some sights and sounds from the war in Iraq.

ANNOUNCER: CNN's continuing coverage of the war in Iraq -- are there enough coalition troops on the ground to achieve this war's goals? The Pentagon insists yes, but questions remain. At 10, a look at how the world is reacting to the war, including Indonesia where 100,000 protests are this weekend. Stay with CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: We are continuing with our chronological look at the last 24 hours of the war in Iraq. This morning, northern Iraq was the site of massive carpet-bombing. Coalition forces targeted several northern towns along the border between Kurdish and Iraqi controlled territory. Pentagon sources said it was one of the heaviest days of aerial bombardment so far. CNN's Jane Arraf filed this report from northern Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: (voice-over): A game of skill and chance. The point of Dama (ph) is to isolate your opponent. The men in Harir (ph) have lots of time to play these days as they wait for the battle further south to play out.

"The war is going slowly," says Perbal Rahman Hassan (ph). "We didn't expect it to be like this. We thought it might be finished in two or three days."

People throughout this region thought America's overwhelming military power would mean a quick and easy victory. Apart from Special Forces, U.S. troops have only been in the north a few days. They've begun fanning out on patrol after parachuting into the Harir (ph) airfield just a few miles from here.

They travel light, but one of the things each paratrooper dropped in with was a translation card with key phrases and phonetic Kurdish.

(on camera): There's a phrase there that says "My government will repay you for your assistance." What does that mean?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I think what that means is that if you'll help me, I'll try and help you in return. ARRAF (voice-over): The Kurds are more than eager to help the U.S. to try to topple Saddam Hussein. Pesmerga (ph), Kurdish guerrillas, are providing support for American soldiers. But as friendly as this territory is, it's just a few dozen miles from the Iraqi frontlines. There deliberately isn't much contact between Kurdish civilians and the American soldiers.

Abdullah Aziz Abdullah's (ph) house overlooks the airfield. He sees the soldiers only from a distance.

"Pesmerga (ph) forbids us to talk to them," he says. He says that's because they fear Iraqi intelligence agents posing as Kurdish civilians could attack them.

In town, most people catch only glimpses of the soldiers.

(on camera): This is the main street of Harir (ph). The American soldiers are just down the road. So far, people here haven't seen a whole lot of them, but they say just knowing they're there makes them feel safer.

(voice-over): Salara (ph) came to Harir (ph) from the major city of Erbil because he feared it could be a target for Iraqi attack. He sells socks on the street here for 15 cents a pair.

"I haven't seen the soldiers," he says. "I only see the planes. And when I see a plane I'm a little reassured. It makes me feel a little better because Saddam can't do anything to the Kurds."

It's not the tens of thousands of ground troops most Kurds were longing to see. But to people here, this scaled down American presence even at a distance is reassuring.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ARRAF: They're reassured, but with this pace of the war in the south and the very low number of forces in the north, they're increasingly wondering how long and costly this war might be -- Anderson.

COOPER: Jane, I know there have been some retreats or fall-backs from the Iraqi positions of Iraqi troops. How much of those are just tactical retreats to sort of coalescing their forces further south? And how much of it is a result of these massive bombardments that have been going on?

ARRAF: It's hard to tell with any real certainty, Anderson, but a lot of them do appear to be tactical retreats. Now, what we've been seeing are basically a shifting of the frontlines in northern Iraq, particularly around the city of Kirkuk. And that has resulted in Pesmerga (ph), the Kurdish forces, moving further towards Kirkuk, about 15 kilometers, 10 miles in some cases along that frontline. Now, the Iraqis are vacating. They're laying land mines as they retreat. And the indications are -- the feeling is that they are getting into more of a defensive position. We've seen very heavy bombing here where we are. It has been absolute pounding of the ridge behind us, which is Iraqi government- controlled territory. Explosions loud enough to rattle the windows here. And heavy bombing in Mosul as well, so that has contributed to it. But essentially, it does seem -- since there is not a northern offensive here and simply bombing to soften up the positions that it may indeed be tactical -- Anderson.

COOPER: All right. Jane Arraf in northern Iraq. Thanks very much.

Let's go back to Wolf in Kuwait City.

BLITZER: Thanks very much, Anderson. From the north, let's head south. That's where there's an ongoing effort to win over the hearts and minds of Iraqi civilians. At the same time, coalition troops are trying to rid the region of the Iraqi leadership. CNN's chief international correspondent, Christiane Amanpour filed this report earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's the very essence of life, and it's slowly beginning to flow to the people of Umm Qasr. The British and U.S. military have jointly extended a water pipeline from Kuwait. And they've hired local drivers and tankers to take it into town.

MAJ. PHIL BOURNE, BRITISH ROYAL MARINES: The (UNINTELLIGIBLE) hearts and minds, but this is a basic life support function that we've all taken for granted. And I think, as common humanity, being able to get people fresh water is probably the most important thing we can do for them initially.

MAJ. JIM THORPE, U.S. ARMY: We need the locals to be happy with the fact that we're here. That's our goal.

AMANPOUR: Indeed, that is a primary goal of this military campaign, but this effort got off to a slow start. As desperate townsfolk clamored to fill jerry cans, bowls, and barrels, confusion about whether they had to pay or not. The U.S. said no. The British said yes. And the military is in unfamiliar terrain without the U.N. or NGO experts in humanitarian aid.

In this part of town, British Army assault engineers are fixing up a tap system. Sped up Iraqis watch. They're wondering just when they'll get their drinking water after hearing promises for days.

The pipeline point is at the British marines' base, and war fighting continues there too.

(on camera): This base is also used to stage offensive attacks. This is 42 Commando Brigade of the British Royal Marines, and they're going now to fight off Iraqi infantry and tanks, which have burst out southeast of Basra. (voice-over): These commandos say they are the point of the bayonet. Into this battle, they take just what they can carry, including anti-tank weapons.

SGT. IAN BEERS, 42 COMMANDO ROYAL MARINES: We're going to be anticipating going quite up to the enemy and taking them on at close range. We were all expecting like a walk over, you know, then really not as hands in the air, you know, putting their weapons down. But it's been a bit more resistance than we first expected, but you know; it's still early stages -- so.

AMANPOUR: In an operation that lasted much of Sunday, the commandos captured five senior Iraqi Army officers, including a general, and killed a Republican Guard colonel, according to military spokesmen.

Civilians trying to leave from the west side of Basra towards British lines found themselves caught up in a firefight. According to a military photographer, British troops at this checkpoint came under attack from the Iraqi side and returned fire.

Psychological warfare continues too. British tanks take out Basra's TV tower, cutting Baghdad's line to the people. Army bulldozers are smashing Saddam Hussein's larger than life portraits in an apparent attempt to loosen his political grip. Over here in Umm Qasr, they're not sure those tactics will work.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Saddam maybe go, maybe (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Saddam, strong man.

AMANPOUR: Still, the British keep hoping to weaken his hold. When the people started defacing these images, British soldiers offered them paint and brushes.

Christiane Amanpour, CNN, Umm Qasr in southern Iraq.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Well, Wolf, it seems like many people in the region are still kind of waiting to see which way the sand story blows, if you will, waiting to see if coalition forces really are there to stay or if they really are serious about taking out the Iraqi regime.

BLITZER: And you can't really blame them, Anderson, given what happened a dozen years ago. Right after the Persian Gulf War, the Bush Administration at that time encouraged the Shiites in particular in the south to rise up against Saddam Hussein and his military. They did exactly that, but they were crushed by Iraqi helicopters. And the coalition at that time really did nothing to help the Shiites and as a result, they're nervous. Right now, they're waiting to make sure that the coalition is serious this time. They're not yet convinced. That's an important mission that the coalition has to undertake, and they're trying to do that right now.

We have much more coverage coming up. We're going to take a quick break from our Sunday timeline to update the hour's top stories. When we return though, it's Sunday morning and the defense secretary has an appointment with the Washington talk shows. Stay with us.

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Aired March 30, 2003 - 20:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Baghdad shakes under an almost continuous assault from the air, but in the United States, questions and doubts about the coalitions war plans simply won't go away.
Good evening, once again from Kuwait City, I'm Wolf Blitzer.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: And good evening, Wolf. Good evening, everyone. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Anderson Cooper.

Throughout the night, as Wolf said, we have heard explosions in and around Iraq's capital city. From time to time, of course, television cameras catch the huge plumes of smoke and dust rising into the night sky. That's a shot taken earlier.

For the next hour, we are going to look at how the war in Iraq got to this particular point on this particular day. We're going to take you through the events of the last 24 hours in the order in which they happened. Then, we're going to step back and bring the picture into focus.

We've noticed certain themes developing in the last 24 hours or so. Coalition forces are going after Iraq's leadership not just the top leaders in Baghdad but field commanders in government-held cities.

The threat of suicide bombings is another developing story and the threat is not just confined to Iraq.

Another theme, the ongoing effort to convince Iraqi citizens that the coalition really has their best interest at heart, that better days are coming to Iraq and coming soon.

BLITZER: All right, let's start in Baghdad. Saturday night, 6:00 p.m. Eastern, TV cameras peering out at the skyline report new attacks by coalition bombers and cruise missiles. The attacks were continued through the rest of the night and all day Sunday. Our senior international correspondent, Nic Robertson, is watching along the Jordanian/Iraqi border.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, some of the first impacts began around dusk yesterday, 24 hours ago. It began around dusk. That's 6:00 p.m. Baghdad time. They continued into the evening. There were fires then burning. Missiles appeared to impact inside an apartment area very close to the ministry of information in Baghdad.

Through the day today, if you will, reporters who are still allowed to be in Baghdad that I've talked with today, say that in the city there had been a vastly increased number of air raids. They talked about multiple explosions to the south of the city, towards where coalition forces might advance when they come towards Baghdad. They talked about impacts in the east of Baghdad. They say that through the day, there's been very little anti-aircraft gunfire, that some of the communications in the city -- some of the communications in the city have gone down.

Now, as it fell into darkness again in Baghdad, impacts in the area of Karada (ph). This is an area in the center of Baghdad. It is a shopping district, a residential district. A little after those impacts were reported, a big fire was seen very close to downtown Baghdad. It appeared to be an oil fire. There was huge of ball of flame, yellow-orange flame, black smoke coming up from this fire. Not clear if this was a fire set by the Iraqis to drive smoke into the air to cloud the vision of the coalition bombers flying over the city or whether coalition forces had actually hit a fuel dump in the center of the city. That was not clear.

A few hours after that and just a couple of hours ago now, an impact again, almost in exactly the same area. Close to the information ministry were 24 hours before there had been an attack on this occasion. A small fire erupting at the back of a department store. The 28th of April Shopping Center named after the president, Saddam Hussein's, birthday, an area in close proximity to the ministry of information and close proximity tot a residential area, a government residential area where many Ba'ath Party officials and party members live, an area where retired military officers live and other professionals as well -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Nic, have you discerned any significant shift in the Iraqi messages that are coming across on Iraqi television today as opposed to yesterday or the day before? Or have they been pretty consistent in what they're saying?

ROBERTSON: Consistent but emphasizing one point. We've heard today from the health minister, but it was a spokesman for the military and the information minister who both struck the same theme. They criticized coalition forces. And this was something new. They criticized coalition forces for what they said was destroying humanitarian aid stores in the south of Iraq. Of course, what the coalition forces have been doing indeed in the south is distributing food aid. But that's what Iraqi officials were saying today.

On the issue of suicide bombings, both the information minister and the military official saying that there would be suicide bombings in the future. And they both said that not only would it be military -- Iraqi military forces taking part but that an increasing number of Arab forces were coming back to Baghdad. Those Arab forces, they said, would be joining in the suicide missions -- Anderson.

COOPER: Nic, thanks very much.

Our next stop is Basra, Iraq's main seaport and the heart of its southern oil facilities. British troops are surrounding the city. They have been for days, but they've not yet tried to capture it. As the night wears on, it becomes obvious that the British have another kind of capture in mind. Here's reporter, David Bowden.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID BOWDEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The brigade reconnaissance force of 3 Commando moves along the line of challenge to two tanks and into the village of Abu al-Qaseed (ph) on the southeastern edge of Basra. The BRF part of a big coalition push into the area to cut off a vital escape route out of Iraq's second city. The mission began first light. The Marines illuminating their targets with flares.

Resistance was patchy, but in places, there were fierce firefights as Iraqi hardliners dug in. The Marines had air support and artillery as backup, but this was the first full scale commando attack since the Falkans War more than 20 years ago.

Operation James, as it was called, was planned here at the brigade headquarters. Senior officers plotting every twist and turn of the battle on their detailed maps.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And we'll block off the exit from the area and then, we'll be able to move forward and contain any enemy that are outside of it. But I think there will be tidying up to do in terms of the last remnants of the enemy.

BOWDEN: Information came in of enemy positions and prisoners. A number of senior Iraqi officers were captured.

(on camera): Why did they call it Operation James? Well, it's after James Bond. All the objectives have names like Blowfeld, Moore, Connery, and even Pussy Galore.

(voice-over): In Abu Al-Qaseed (ph), much of the area is under Royal Marine control. But Operation James is far from over and there is still resistance.

David Bowden in southern Iraq.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: In the eastern United States it was just before dawn Sunday morning, in Israel, it was already broad daylight, and Sunday's next major development had exploded. That's next in our look at this day.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Well, for the first time in three weeks, Israel has become the scene of a suicide bombing. This time around the people claiming responsibility for it say it's a -- quote -- "gift to the Iraqi people." CNN's Kelly Wallace reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Outside the London Cafe in Netanya, a suicide bomber shatters the quiet inside Israel since the start of the Iraq war. This man was walking by when he heard an explosion.

SYDNEY BOGG, NETANYA RESIDENT: Then it was big boom, then many soldiers here. Two soldiers was down here. Many blood, many people skip from here. Big parameter.

WALLACE: Police say a man blew himself up outside the indoor/outdoor cafe injuring dozens of Israelis, including 10 off duty soldiers. All were enjoying lunch on a beautiful spring day. Some in Netanya saw a possible connection to the American and British invasion in nearby Iraq.

MIRIAM FIREBERG, MAYOR OF NETANYA: I don't know if it's a symbol. I didn't think about it until now, but you see this is the London Cafe, so who knows.

WALLACE: This man said he's sure the two are connected. "Because they think that America is doing a job on our behalf but that's not correct," he told us. The leader of the radical Palestinian group, Islamic Jihad, in Gaza claims responsibility saying the attack was also done in -- quote -- "solidarity with the Iraqi people and their steadfastness against the attack of the British and Americans, who are serving the interests of Israel first and foremost."

Only a few hours after the attack by the 20-year-old man from the West Bank town of Tulkorum (ph), according to Islamic Jihad, an alert about a suspicious item. Police clear the area near the London Cafe and use bomb detection equipment to determine this box was not an explosive.

Netanya has been the site of many terrorist attacks, including the deadliest suicide bombing ever in Israel. Almost exactly a year ago when a man killed 29 Israelis sitting down for Passover dinner.

(on camera): Since the war in Iraq began, many Israelis had been waiting to see if Israel would be hit by an Iraqi missile. Instead the country was hit with a familiar weapon and now, some Israelis worry more such attacks will take place especially as the military campaign against Saddam Hussein continues.

Kelly Wallace, CNN, Netanya, Israel.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And let's get a little bit more background now on the extremist group that calls itself Islamic Jihad. Jim Walsh is a terrorism expert at Harvard University. He's joining us now live from Boston.

Jim, thanks so much for joining us. What exactly is this Islamic Jihad?

JIM WALSH, TERRORISM EXPERT, HARVARD UNIVERSITY: Well, Wolf, it can be a little confusing because a lot of terrorist groups use the phrase "Islamic Jihad" in their name. There is, of course, the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, which is closely associated with al Qaeda. This is a different group. This is the Palestinian Islamic Jihad founded in 1979 and whose -- an organization whose operations tend to focus on Israel and the surrounding areas, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, what have you. But they are focused on attacks, violent attacks on Israelis with the purpose of trying to liberate Palestine.

BLITZER: And now, supposedly, they're on their way to Iraq to help defeat the United States and British forces. Is that a credible threat we're hearing from the Iraqi leadership?

WALSH: Well, I think it's probably the case that there are Islamic nationalists in a variety of countries, including in the occupied territories, who might be able to find recruits who would want to go to Iraq. But I don't think it's credible in the sense that it's going to fundamentally change the military outcome. It is a political problem and they cause political costs, but it will change the balance of forces in the region.

BLITZER: Well, when you say it wont' change the balance of forces, suicide bombers can do a lot of damage, witness what happened in 1983 when those suicide bombers blew up a truck at the U.S. Marine barracks outside of Beirut and killed almost -- more than 200 Marines. And very quickly thereafter, the United States left that peacekeeping operation in Lebanon.

WALSH: You're absolutely right, Wolf. And I think it certainly proved that suicide terrorists could take a toll here. They could stay on in Iraq after the U.S. wins its military campaign and then begin to attack through snipers and suicide bombings Americans who stay on to try to help reconstruct Iraq.

But I think it's important to remember that it's a little different situation here, particularly given since just yesterday with the car bombing attack on the American Marines at the checkpoint, we see today a whole new list of precautions and security procedures that American forces will be following to try to prevent that from happening. I think that we are going to find that Americans are much more alert and they're going to be watching for this sort of attack in the future.

There will be attacks. Some will be successful, but on the whole, I don't think it will change the military outcome. It may lead to deaths and it may also complicate the politics. But at the end of the day, U.S. forces are far superior to anything that may be flowing in in the way of a volunteer force from other countries.

BLITZER: In the Israeli-Palestinian conflict you sometimes see suicide bombers who are not ultra-religious but they're just ultra- nationalistic. And as a result, they're secular, but they believe in their cause and they're willing to die for it. Do you think that that phenomenon is going to be translated to the war here in Iraq as well?

WALSH: I think that's a really interesting question because what you have here is an Islamist group, Islamic Jihad, which is very much a religious group inspired by the Iranian Revolution in 1979. But I think the reason why they are saying that this a gift to the Iraqi people is they are looking to widen their base and to invite more people to become part of them. Some of those may be folks who are secular, but who nevertheless are angry about the war in Iraq. So I think it's an interesting organizational move on the part of Islamic Jihad to associate itself with the antipathy and anger that is roiling through the Islamic world right now.

BLITZER: All right. Jim Walsh with Harvard University, thanks for your insight. And we'll be speaking with you, obviously, in the days and weeks to come.

And when we come back, a scenic mountain ridge in northern Iraq. Sunday morning was anything but peaceful. Up next on our look at the day, carpet bombing, but first some sights and sounds from the war in Iraq.

ANNOUNCER: CNN's continuing coverage of the war in Iraq -- are there enough coalition troops on the ground to achieve this war's goals? The Pentagon insists yes, but questions remain. At 10, a look at how the world is reacting to the war, including Indonesia where 100,000 protests are this weekend. Stay with CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: We are continuing with our chronological look at the last 24 hours of the war in Iraq. This morning, northern Iraq was the site of massive carpet-bombing. Coalition forces targeted several northern towns along the border between Kurdish and Iraqi controlled territory. Pentagon sources said it was one of the heaviest days of aerial bombardment so far. CNN's Jane Arraf filed this report from northern Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: (voice-over): A game of skill and chance. The point of Dama (ph) is to isolate your opponent. The men in Harir (ph) have lots of time to play these days as they wait for the battle further south to play out.

"The war is going slowly," says Perbal Rahman Hassan (ph). "We didn't expect it to be like this. We thought it might be finished in two or three days."

People throughout this region thought America's overwhelming military power would mean a quick and easy victory. Apart from Special Forces, U.S. troops have only been in the north a few days. They've begun fanning out on patrol after parachuting into the Harir (ph) airfield just a few miles from here.

They travel light, but one of the things each paratrooper dropped in with was a translation card with key phrases and phonetic Kurdish.

(on camera): There's a phrase there that says "My government will repay you for your assistance." What does that mean?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I think what that means is that if you'll help me, I'll try and help you in return. ARRAF (voice-over): The Kurds are more than eager to help the U.S. to try to topple Saddam Hussein. Pesmerga (ph), Kurdish guerrillas, are providing support for American soldiers. But as friendly as this territory is, it's just a few dozen miles from the Iraqi frontlines. There deliberately isn't much contact between Kurdish civilians and the American soldiers.

Abdullah Aziz Abdullah's (ph) house overlooks the airfield. He sees the soldiers only from a distance.

"Pesmerga (ph) forbids us to talk to them," he says. He says that's because they fear Iraqi intelligence agents posing as Kurdish civilians could attack them.

In town, most people catch only glimpses of the soldiers.

(on camera): This is the main street of Harir (ph). The American soldiers are just down the road. So far, people here haven't seen a whole lot of them, but they say just knowing they're there makes them feel safer.

(voice-over): Salara (ph) came to Harir (ph) from the major city of Erbil because he feared it could be a target for Iraqi attack. He sells socks on the street here for 15 cents a pair.

"I haven't seen the soldiers," he says. "I only see the planes. And when I see a plane I'm a little reassured. It makes me feel a little better because Saddam can't do anything to the Kurds."

It's not the tens of thousands of ground troops most Kurds were longing to see. But to people here, this scaled down American presence even at a distance is reassuring.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ARRAF: They're reassured, but with this pace of the war in the south and the very low number of forces in the north, they're increasingly wondering how long and costly this war might be -- Anderson.

COOPER: Jane, I know there have been some retreats or fall-backs from the Iraqi positions of Iraqi troops. How much of those are just tactical retreats to sort of coalescing their forces further south? And how much of it is a result of these massive bombardments that have been going on?

ARRAF: It's hard to tell with any real certainty, Anderson, but a lot of them do appear to be tactical retreats. Now, what we've been seeing are basically a shifting of the frontlines in northern Iraq, particularly around the city of Kirkuk. And that has resulted in Pesmerga (ph), the Kurdish forces, moving further towards Kirkuk, about 15 kilometers, 10 miles in some cases along that frontline. Now, the Iraqis are vacating. They're laying land mines as they retreat. And the indications are -- the feeling is that they are getting into more of a defensive position. We've seen very heavy bombing here where we are. It has been absolute pounding of the ridge behind us, which is Iraqi government- controlled territory. Explosions loud enough to rattle the windows here. And heavy bombing in Mosul as well, so that has contributed to it. But essentially, it does seem -- since there is not a northern offensive here and simply bombing to soften up the positions that it may indeed be tactical -- Anderson.

COOPER: All right. Jane Arraf in northern Iraq. Thanks very much.

Let's go back to Wolf in Kuwait City.

BLITZER: Thanks very much, Anderson. From the north, let's head south. That's where there's an ongoing effort to win over the hearts and minds of Iraqi civilians. At the same time, coalition troops are trying to rid the region of the Iraqi leadership. CNN's chief international correspondent, Christiane Amanpour filed this report earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's the very essence of life, and it's slowly beginning to flow to the people of Umm Qasr. The British and U.S. military have jointly extended a water pipeline from Kuwait. And they've hired local drivers and tankers to take it into town.

MAJ. PHIL BOURNE, BRITISH ROYAL MARINES: The (UNINTELLIGIBLE) hearts and minds, but this is a basic life support function that we've all taken for granted. And I think, as common humanity, being able to get people fresh water is probably the most important thing we can do for them initially.

MAJ. JIM THORPE, U.S. ARMY: We need the locals to be happy with the fact that we're here. That's our goal.

AMANPOUR: Indeed, that is a primary goal of this military campaign, but this effort got off to a slow start. As desperate townsfolk clamored to fill jerry cans, bowls, and barrels, confusion about whether they had to pay or not. The U.S. said no. The British said yes. And the military is in unfamiliar terrain without the U.N. or NGO experts in humanitarian aid.

In this part of town, British Army assault engineers are fixing up a tap system. Sped up Iraqis watch. They're wondering just when they'll get their drinking water after hearing promises for days.

The pipeline point is at the British marines' base, and war fighting continues there too.

(on camera): This base is also used to stage offensive attacks. This is 42 Commando Brigade of the British Royal Marines, and they're going now to fight off Iraqi infantry and tanks, which have burst out southeast of Basra. (voice-over): These commandos say they are the point of the bayonet. Into this battle, they take just what they can carry, including anti-tank weapons.

SGT. IAN BEERS, 42 COMMANDO ROYAL MARINES: We're going to be anticipating going quite up to the enemy and taking them on at close range. We were all expecting like a walk over, you know, then really not as hands in the air, you know, putting their weapons down. But it's been a bit more resistance than we first expected, but you know; it's still early stages -- so.

AMANPOUR: In an operation that lasted much of Sunday, the commandos captured five senior Iraqi Army officers, including a general, and killed a Republican Guard colonel, according to military spokesmen.

Civilians trying to leave from the west side of Basra towards British lines found themselves caught up in a firefight. According to a military photographer, British troops at this checkpoint came under attack from the Iraqi side and returned fire.

Psychological warfare continues too. British tanks take out Basra's TV tower, cutting Baghdad's line to the people. Army bulldozers are smashing Saddam Hussein's larger than life portraits in an apparent attempt to loosen his political grip. Over here in Umm Qasr, they're not sure those tactics will work.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Saddam maybe go, maybe (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Saddam, strong man.

AMANPOUR: Still, the British keep hoping to weaken his hold. When the people started defacing these images, British soldiers offered them paint and brushes.

Christiane Amanpour, CNN, Umm Qasr in southern Iraq.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Well, Wolf, it seems like many people in the region are still kind of waiting to see which way the sand story blows, if you will, waiting to see if coalition forces really are there to stay or if they really are serious about taking out the Iraqi regime.

BLITZER: And you can't really blame them, Anderson, given what happened a dozen years ago. Right after the Persian Gulf War, the Bush Administration at that time encouraged the Shiites in particular in the south to rise up against Saddam Hussein and his military. They did exactly that, but they were crushed by Iraqi helicopters. And the coalition at that time really did nothing to help the Shiites and as a result, they're nervous. Right now, they're waiting to make sure that the coalition is serious this time. They're not yet convinced. That's an important mission that the coalition has to undertake, and they're trying to do that right now.

We have much more coverage coming up. We're going to take a quick break from our Sunday timeline to update the hour's top stories. When we return though, it's Sunday morning and the defense secretary has an appointment with the Washington talk shows. Stay with us.

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