Iraqi president Saddam Hussein retaliated this morning just hours after US forces tried to kill him with a dawn missile strike on Baghdad.

American Patriot missiles brought down one Iraqi missile fired at Kuwait. Kuwaiti military officials said three others caused no damage.

The Iraqi missiles were reportedly fired at British and US forces in northern Kuwait around 07.40GMT. They were not said to be carrying non-conventional warheads.

Reporters billeted with the thousands of UK troops at Camp Coyote in Kuwait heard a thunderous explosion and soldiers scrambled to don nuclear-biological-chemical protection gear.

Earlier this morning the war against Iraq began with a lightning missile strike on Baghdad after the CIA reportedly told US president George Bush it knew where Saddam was.

The surprise attack, involving 40 bombs and cruise missiles fired from warships and stealth aircraft, aimed to take out the regime's leadership in a single blow.

But the Iraqi dictator survived the onslaught. Three hours later he appeared on Iraqi TV, condemning the "criminal" assault on his country.

The CIA intelligence on Saddam was seen as "a target of opportunity" that might not come again, according to one agent.

According to The Washington Post, hours before the strikes the CIA's director, George Tenet, told president Bush the Iraqi leader would be consulting advisers at a home in southern Baghdad.

British military sources in Qatar said five high-ranking Iraqis were at the meeting.

The attack targets included vehicles thought to have been used by the Iraqis.

Iraq's information minister, Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf, said the US attacks killed one Iraqi and wounded several others in Baghdad.

He said the raids on the Iraqi capital targeted a customs office at Rutba, empty buildings for Iraqi TV in Ramadi west of Baghdad and two civilian suburbs of Baghdad.

Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon confirmed that the first wave of air strikes was aimed at the country's leadership and were only the "preliminary stages" of military operations.

The action began at 02.30GMT, 90 minutes after President Bush's deadline for Saddam to leave Iraq passed.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "The Prime Minister was informed shortly after midnight (London time) that attacks on a limited number of command and control targets were being brought forward."

The spokesman added: "As regards the involvement of British forces, Mr Blair will set out the position in due course."

Forty-five minutes after the attack began, President Bush went on television to tell the American people: "I assure you this will not be a campaign of half measures and we will accept no outcome but victory."

Iraq in depth from USA Today: iraq.usatoday.com