United Nations (UN): The United States has warned Baghdad against attacking the American and British warplanes patrolling the "no fly zone", saying that it violates the recent UN resolution on Iraqi disarmament but stopped short of asserting that it could invite military action.

"The United States believes that firing upon US or British aircraft in the no-fly zone, over Northern and Southern Iraq are in violation of the 10-day-old UN security council resolution re-establishing the inspectors," Scott McClellan, a spokesman for the White House said.

But that is something that "we will assess and review" before going to the Council though Washington reserves the right to do so, he said.

US warplanes bombed Iraqi air defences for a second consecutive day on November 19, responding to anti-aircraft fire that the White House said was in "material breach" of the latest UN Security Council resolution, even as the United Nations weapons inspectors reached Baghdad and began planning the most intensive inspections in the coming days.

The American officials apparently want to remain focused on Iraqi disarmament and not to make this "violation" a major issue, which might detract them from pushing their agenda on disarmament.

Washington is aware that it would be an uphill task for it to convince France, Russia and China that this was serious enough violation for military action but diplomats said that it could help build a case if Iraq is found to be violating the resolution on other counts.

PTI