Allied Planes Bomb Targets in North

U.S. and British planes patrolling a “no-fly” zone over northern Iraq bombed Iraqi air defense systems in response to antiaircraft fire, U.S. officials said.

It was the first time allied planes had bombed Iraq’s north since Sept. 11, Capt. Brian Cullin of the U.S. European Command said. Allied planes over northern Iraq have been fired on recently.

The bombs were dropped after Iraqi forces northeast of Mosul fired on a routine air patrol, the European Command said. Iraq’s official news agency said four people were killed in the bombing.

U.S. and British planes have been flying patrols over Iraq since 1991.