An Iraqi woman describes the Basra missile explosions

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An air war loses altitude: CNN reports from the streets of Basra

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Pentagon admitted Tuesday that a U.S. missile flew off course and slammed into a residential neighborhood in southern Iraq on Monday, but U.S. defense officials could not confirm that any civilians were killed.

Iraq claims three missiles struck residential areas in and around the oil center of Basra, killing 11 people. Pentagon spokesman Ken Bacon disputed that account, saying a single errant missile hit the al-Jumhuriya neighborhood of Basra.

"We have analyzed yesterday's information and found that an AGM-130 (missile) did miss its target and explode in a residential neighborhood several kilometers from its target," Bacon said.

He said the United States regretted any civilian casualties, but added that U.S. officials had no "independent confirmation" that the missile killed any Iraqis.

Iraqis say at least one civilian neighborhood was struck by U.S. missiles on Monday

Bacon said the AGM-130, a video-guided stand-off missile, is "highly accurate" but not infallible.

"I want to repeat that we are not targeting civilians. We are, in fact, taking every step we can to avoid targeting civilians ... or creating collateral damage in civilian neighborhoods," he said.

On Tuesday, U.S. forces again attacked Iraqi targets in Iraq's northern no-fly zone, in response to what the U.S. military called Iraqi attempts to ambush and shoot down patrolling aircraft.

U.S. aircraft attacked Iraqi radar and anti-aircraft artillery positions in five separate incidents near the city of Mosul, military officials said.

In the first incident, a U.S. Marine EA6B Prowler was targeted by Iraqi radar and fired a HARM missile at the installation, said the U.S. military at Incirlik air base in Turkey.

In the second incident, an Air Force F-15 dropped precision-guided munitions in response to an Iraqi anti-aircraft artillery system that posed a threat to coalition aircraft.

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In the third incident, an F-15 fired a missile at a radar site that had "illuminated" a coalition aircraft.

The U.S. military later said two other F-15 fighter jets also dropped bombs after being targeted by anti-aircraft systems.

All the planes returned safely to Incirlik.

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein vowed Tuesday to retaliate for Monday's missile attack on Basra. He urged his people to be patient, saying victory would come in the battle against the United States.

"Your blood will not go in vain," Hussein said in an address carried by the Iraqi news agency.

Hussein called Basra's nearly 1 million people, who were hard hit by the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War and the 1991 Gulf War, "his beloved and brothers."

"Be patient, our beloved and brothers, victory will be with those who are patient," Hussein said.

The Iraqi president lashed out at Arab leaders, saying they had opened their "ears to listen only to the voice of the devil" -- meaning the United States -- and closed their minds to "the voice of right."

Correspondent Jamie McIntyre and The Associated Press contributed to this report.