A US warplane strafed a house in a southern Iraqi city and killed eight Seven other people were wounded when the plane fired on a house in Basra's Hananiyah neighborhood overnight, a local policeman said on condition of anonymity because of security concerns.
While the Iraqi police officer claimed it was a US plane, British jets also have been providing air support in the area; it couldn't be immediately confirmed whether the plane was British or American.
The British military had no immediate information but said it also was looking into the reports. "We are aware of reports of incidents in the Basra area resulting in civilian casualties," said Maj. Tom Holloway, a British military spokesman. "We are investigating those reports and do not have any further details at this time."
AP Television News footage showed smoke rising from Hananiyah. Pools of blood and a destroyed pickup truck were seen outside the home hit by the plane.