"We've just begun the next phase of attack on Iraq," said Rear Admiral Matthew G. Moffit, commander of the Kitty Hawk battle group deployed in the Gulf .

US warships launched 320 Tomahawk cruise missiles in and around Baghdad in about one hour since the attack began at around 19:30 local time on Friday night, according to the admiral.

Ten warships were involved in the attack, including four cruisers, four destroyers and two submarines, the admiral told the embedding press here.

The Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier also launched sorties to support the bombing mission in Iraq, according to Captain Patrick Driscoll, Commander of the Kitty Hawk Aircraft Carrier Air Wing Five.

Driscoll said three aircraft, including two EA-6B Prowlers, were involved in the electronic attacks to support for air strikes.

A number of F/A-18 Hornet fighters and F-14 Tomcat fighters from the Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier attended the attack, according to the captain.

"The intention is to convince the (Iraqi) regime that it is time to leave," Moffit said.

Moffit said this attack is consisted of "entirely precision guided weapons," including 2000-, 1000- and 500-pound bombs.

In addition, bunker busters were dropped by other aircraft, defined as penetrating weapons against installations that were hardened by concrete or sand, he said.

Defining the mission in general as "support for marines and the5th Corps," Moffit said two of the three battle groups deployed in the Gulf area, the Kitty Hawk, the Constellation, were involved.

Driscoll told the press that in general, the targets were in the vicinity of Basra, Kalil and Al-Nazirea.

"This is three times the magnitude of Desert Storm One, " Driscoll said when asked about the scale.

"It's like Desert Storm one," Moffit added.

(Xinhua News Agency March 22, 2003)