The post at Radwaniyah "allowed the Iraqi regime to relocate and maintain command and control authority of military and paramilitary forces," Centcom said in a statement.

It was targeted with "Joint Direct Attack Munitions" at 19:30 local time (1630 GMT) on Wednesday.

US-British warplanes also struck a "heavily secured storage facility of the Iraqi regime with nearly 40 Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs)" Wednesday night about 10 pm (1900 GMT).

The facility is in the Al Karkh district of Baghdad, north of the former Muthenna airfield.

"The regime, Special Security Organization and possibly the Special Republican Guard use the facility to store critical military and security supplies for the regime," a Centcom statement said.

Battle damage assessment was ongoing, it added.

Iraqi gunners had opened up with anti-aircraft fire Wednesday night as intensive bombing rocked the outskirts of Baghdad following a day of relentless bombardment that targeted President Saddam Hussein's main palace.

Blasts were heard coming from the southern part of the capital, which has come under daily bombing since the United States and Britain launched war on March 20.

Powerful explosions had lit up the sky around Baghdad and warplanes roared overhead in more air attacks earlier in the evening.

Baghdad came under repeated air attack Wednesday, with missiles or bombs striking Saddam's Republican Palace complex on the banks of the Tigris river at least twice.

WAR.WIRE