Lt. Carol Watts briefs Lt. Lyndsi Bates on her combat flight after returning to the USS Enterprise. (AP)

Compiled by washingtonpost.com staff
Thursday, Dec. 17, 1998

U.S. forces renewed the assault on Iraq, sending cruise missiles deep into the interior and Navy strike aircraft with laser-guided bombs to the border. Air Force B-52s flew to launch points in the Persian Gulf.

Here is the bombing campaign day-by-day with photos, audio, video and transcripts posted below:

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Newsmakers

Joint Chiefs Chairman, Gen. Henry Shelton "Last night U.S. forces struck more than 50 separate targets, which included weapons of mass destruction sites ... Saddam's integrated air defense and air fields; and the command and control infrastructure that supports Saddam's military and his regime."

Secretary of State Madeleine Albright "We have encountered some expressions of regret that a peaceful solution couldn't be found despite all our best efforts. And there is also a general sense that the behavior of Saddam Hussein has brought us to this path. This is the French position. The Russians and Chinese are critical, of course, but over the past year they have failed to provide any viable alternative."

U.N Chief Weapons Inspector Richard Butler "There is no doubt in my mind that the conclusion I came to ... the simple conclusion that Iraq did not keep its promise of full cooperation is correct."