[originaltext] Iraq has reacted defiantly to the American and British air rai

Iraq has reacted defiantly to the American and British air raids on targets near Baghdad. President Saddam Hussein vowed to fight until victory on land, in the air and at sea. China and Russia have also condemned the air strikes. But the United States defended the raids saying Iraqi air defenses were threatening allied aircraft patrolling the air exclusion zones imposed after the Gulf War. The latest Iraqi casualty figures say two civilians were killed and twenty people were injured in the attacks. In Iraqi capital Baghdad this morning, the public mood on first glance appeared to be one of resignation. Iraq had suffered another attack at the hands of American and British aircrafts. There was little ordinary Iraqis could do about it. In total, twenty-four American and British aircrafts were involved in last night’s attack. They fired their missiles from south of the 33rd parallel where Iraqi aircrafts are not allowed to fly. But their targets were above the parallel and near Baghdad as close as five miles. The installations hit were radar units and command control centers which the Pentagon claims were some distance from civilian areas.