Umm Qasr ­ less than 30 miles from Basra ­ was the focus of much development by the Iraqis

Umm Qasr ­ less than 30 miles from Basra ­ was the focus of much development by the Iraqis during the 1980s, when millions of dollars were spent building factories and petrochemical plants.In the second wave of last night’s assault, Scimitar light tanks of the Queen’s Dragoon Guards also made beach landings, moving ahead of 40 and 42 Commando to set up a reconnaissance screen in preparation for the next phase.On a moonless evening, a kilometre-long column of tracked and wheeled vehicles queued to board British and American hovercraft to make the 15-minute crossing to the landing beaches at speeds of up to 50 knots.The supply channel was cleared of mines by 539 Assault Squadron using grappling hooks and bolt-croppers. This is a dangerous and highly skilled operation in which marines stand on the bow of the landing craft and throw hooks forward into the water to drag out submerged and floating mines.Only once the Royal Marines have secured the southern sector will the US Marine Expeditionary Force begin its northward advance from Kuwait towards Baghdad. It will be followed by Britain’s 7th Armoured Division and 16 Air Assault Brigade. Troops from the 7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery were also reported to be providing US Marines with artillery cover in the push towards Basra.The invasion force had been put on four-hour notice to invade as soon as President Bush issued his demand that President Saddam went into exile, in case the dictator began flooding the Gulf with crude oil.. The US 7th Cavalry made an amazing charge into Iraq today and by 0630 GMT were said to be halfway to Baghdad. “I just can’t believe that we’re able to seeCNN had a reporter and cameraman with the cavalry and were constantly beaming back pictures of their rush to the Iraqi capitalReporter Walter Rogers, said they had punched a hole into Iraq and were heading north acting as scouts for the main battle group, the US 3rd Infantry Division.The unit was being led by helicopters flying as low as 30 feetThe Cavalry clashed with Iraqi forces when they first crossed into enemy territory but their powerful tanks soon ended that brief battle.Then followed a trouble free near 30 mph race across the desert.. Tony Blair said today that the military campaign against Saddam Hussein appeared to have started well, but he cautioned against expectations of immediate victory.

“Our forces have been involved in securing oil installations to prevent the threat of deliberate ecological disaster.”"This evening, as last night, all three of our services will be involved as the military action continues,” Mr Blair added.”There are signs of continuing Iraqi desertions and disagreement and division in all levels of the regime.”He paid tribute to the eight British commandos who died when their U.S. US and British forces moved deep into southern Iraq in the start of the ground invasion to topple Saddam Hussein. After coalition missile attacks on Baghdad, British and American troops pushed out of Kuwait on a mostly unopposed northward thrust towards the Iraqi capital. However, there were reports that defending Iraqi troops were putting up strong resistanceHundreds of Iraqi soldiers surrendered in the south of Iraq.

Royal Marines securing oil installations at the Al Faw peninsular encountered some of the troops at around 5.30am. BBC correspondent Clive Myrie witnessed around 60 Iraqis emerge from their bunker positions with their hands up, waving white flags, before getting on their knees ready to be taken as prisoners of war by Royal Marines from the 40 Commando. Around 30 oil installations at Al Faw, just south of the city of Basra, had been set alight by Iraqi troops. The main US armoured force was racing northward towards the Iraqi capital.