Intense explosions could be heard around 1:40 am (2140 GMT) coming from southwest of the city center as fireballs lit up the night sky. Bombs or missiles could be heard pounding Baghdad's outskirts relentlessly for the following hour.

Coalition forces seemed also to have targeted a particular site in the capital's southeastern suburbs, from where a massive plume of smoke shot up into the sky. It was not clear what was hit.

On Friday night, a missile crashed into central Baghdad and a plane overflew the capital and drew heavy anti-aircraft fire.

The missile struck the heart of Baghdad minutes after the southeastern suburbs came under intensive bombing, sending red streaks into the night sky.

President Saddam Hussein earlier called on Baghdad residents in a televised address to resist US forces closing in on the city, after the US military said it had seized Baghdad's international airport.

Information Minister Mohammed Said al-Sahhaf issued an ominous warning that Iraq would carry out a "not conventional" attack later against US troops he said were "isolated" at the airport.

WAR.WIRE