Ground War Starts, Airstrikes Continue As U.S. Keeps Focus on Iraq's Leaders

The Marine commander, Lt. Gen. James T. Conway, accelerated his attack by four hours this afternoon after U.S. satellites detected burning oil wells in southern Iraq. Nine wells and pipeline sections were on fire tonight, according to Marine officers, but not the more critical and harder to rebuild pumping stations. Iraqis also ignited many trenches filled with oil, creating wafting plumes of smoke that obscured visibility for U.S. pilots and interfered with laser-guided munitions.

"There's oil trenches burning all over southeastern Iraq right now," said a senior officer.

While the Marines headed over the border, teams of Navy SEALs and British Royal Marines staged helicopter raids on two oil terminals in the Persian Gulf, Kaabot and Mabot, seizing both, Marine officers said. The Navy and British forces, operating under Conway's command, reported taking 15 detainees at one of the terminals.

Shortly afterward, other SEALs and British troops staged an air assault on an oil manifold and metering station on the tip of the Faw peninsula and captured that as well, officers said. The assaults were aided by Marine and British artillery based in Kuwait, fire from U.S. and British warships in the Persian Gulf, and air attacks by AC-130 Spectre gunships and A-10 Warthog attack planes.

Explosions were heard and flashes of light were seen late tonight in the direction of Basra, according to a Reuters reporter in northern Kuwait.

By capturing the two terminals and the manifold, U.S. military officers said they would be able to close off the valves and avert an environmental disaster similar to that caused in 1991 when Iraqi forces emptied oil into the Persian Gulf. The officers estimated most of the environmental damage caused 12 years ago could have been prevented had those facilities not been in Iraqi hands.