U.S. Plane Slips Off Carrier, Pilots Rescued

WASHINGTON -- A plane veered off the USS "Constellation's" flight deck and slipped into the waters of the Persian Gulf during landing Tuesday. The two pilots ejected into the water and were rescued by helicopter.

Military officials say the S-3B Viking airplane, which is generally used for anti-submarine warfare, malfunctioned. After being rescued, both pilots were able to walk off the helicopter, although one was carried away on a stretcher. Both were being evaluated for minor injuries.

Their names were not released.

U.S. Military To Probe Checkpoint Deaths

American soldiers killed seven Iraqi women and children at a checkpoint Monday when the Iraqis' van would not stop as ordered, a U.S. Central Command official said.

Two other civilians were wounded in the incident at a U.S. Army checkpoint on a highway near Najaf in southern Iraq, the official said. The military is investigating.

Soldiers from the Army's 3rd Infantry Division fired warning shots and then shots into the vehicle's engine, neither of which stopped it, he said. They then fired into the vehicle.

Afterward, the soldiers found the van contained 13 women and children.

U.S. Central Command officials say initial reports indicate the soldiers followed the rules of engagement to protect themselves.

The incident comes on the heels of a weekend car-bomb attack in the area that killed four soldiers from the same Army division.

Pentagon: Members Of Saddam's Family Seen Fleeing

As coalition war planes continue to pound Republican Guard targets in and near Baghdad in preparation for a ground assault, family members of "very senior (Iraqi) officials" have been seen trying to flee the country, a Pentagon spokeswoman said.

Speaking during Monday's Pentagon briefing, spokeswoman Victoria Clarke said "several different reports" show prominent Iraqis, including members of Saddam Hussein's family, are attempting to leave Iraq, "and I'm not talking about media reports."

Clarke cited "significant progress" in the push to Baghdad, saying coalition forces are fighting just 50 miles from the Iraq capital and other coalition forces are advancing from the north, south and west. She said 2,000 U.S. troops are moved into Iraq each day.

Maj. Gen. Stanley McChrystal said 3,000 precision-guided bombs were dropped on Iraqi forces over the weekend, more than one-third of the total number dropped since the war began.

McChrystal said Republican Guard units are repositioning, adding that it appears they are moving to reinforce other forces that "have been significantly degraded."

B-1, B-2 and B-52 bombers hit communication and command centers in Baghdad. U.S. Central Command said it was the first time in history that all three types of long-range bombers had carried out simultaneous attacks on the same location.

The Iraqi Information Ministry building again was targeted. Iraqi television was off for about three hours Monday in Baghdad before the broadcasts resumed.

Massive Blasts Jolt Baghdad Again

Just after the Pentagon briefing, Baghdad was shaken again in the overnight hours by six explosions in rapid succession.

Clouds of smoke billowed from the Old Palace presidential compound, casting an orange glow across the night sky.

Another target was hit across the Tigris River. That blast rocked an 18-story hotel nearly a mile away -- a jolt that was like a powerful earthquake. The hotel, where many international journalists are staying, shook in what is being called the strongest blast since the air war began March 20.

U.S. attempts to silence Iraqi television and radio through heavy aerial attacks have failed, with the country's information minister insisting the broadcasts were unaffected.

U.S. Troops Find Weapons Stockpile In Baath Party HQ

American forces have found tens of thousands of rounds of small-arms and other ammunition stockpiled inside Baath party headquarters in the Iraqi town of Hindiyah.

U.S. Army forces have been engaged in a fierce battle for the town about 50 miles from Baghdad. It contains a key bridge over the Euphrates River.

Troops also found hundreds of mortars and dozens of machine guns.

Inside the party leader's office was a wall map designating the locations of four Republican Guard companies defending the town, and two large arrows showing the expected routes of U.S. troops.

The street-to-street fighting in the city is the war's closest known battle to Baghdad.

At least 35 Iraqis reportedly have been killed and dozens of others captured in fierce fighting south of Baghdad.

Troops were met quickly by small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades as they rolled into town before dawn. Iraqis fired from behind hedges and brick walls.

As the Americans began to cross the bridge, Iraqi troops tried to block it with civilian cars.

Hindiyah is 50 miles south of Baghdad between the sacred city of Karbala and the ruins of ancient Babylon.

Several dozen captured Iraqis have identified themselves as members of Saddam's Republican Guard from his home area of Tikrit.

Further south, the Army encircled the Shiite holy city of Najaf, saying it killed about 100 paramilitary fighters and captured about 50 Iraqis.

U.S. Fatalities Reported In Fierce Fighting

American casualties are being reported in fierce fighting for control of Najaf in south-central Iraq.

A U.S. military officer said two soldiers with the 101st Airborne Division were killed Monday when Iraqi fighters dressed like civilians opened fire with weapons mounted on vehicles.

One unit of the division is fighting from the north, while another is closing in from the south to try to isolate Najaf, about 100 miles south of Baghdad.

It had been reported earlier that U.S. soldiers had killed about 100 Iraqi fighters described as "regime terror squad members" and captured about 50 other Iraqi militants in Najaf and a nearby town.

There are too many enemy fighters in the area, so allied forces can't afford to bypass Najaf. But it's not clear if they'll try to capture the city or surround it.

They're also worried about damaging the city's holy shrines, which could spark anger among Muslims in Iraq and elsewhere.

A Few U.S. Military Forces Cross So-Called 'Red Zone'

Defense officials say a few U.S. military units have crossed the so-called "red zone" around Baghdad.

The defense sources say these Army and Marine units are trying to assess Iraqi troop strength and cut Iraqi forces off where they can.

But officials also warn these U.S. forces are trying to determine what Iraq might do if there is a ground attack.

The Pentagon has warned that as invading forces move into the area, Iraqi troops could decide to attack with chemical weapons.

On the ground in Iraq, U.S. military units already have begun attacking some Republican Guard units. And officials say that will continue.

Kurds Push Toward Oil City

A Kurdish commander says an offensive in northern Iraq could be a "breakthrough" in the campaign to topple Saddam.

He says several thousand more U.S. soldiers are expected soon in areas where limited ground operations are already under way.

American warplanes launched an assault on Iraqi positions near the town of Kalak, aiding Kurdish fighters pushing toward the key oil city of Kirkuk.

Some townspeople in Kalak sipped tea as they watched the bombing runs from their rooftops.

The prime minister of the Kurdish government in the region says there's been an increase in the number of Iraqi deserters since the bombing began.

Deserters who have sought safety with the Kurds say Saddam's soldiers endure constant scrutiny -- and those caught trying to escape face execution squads.