UN Weapons inspectors have concluded that the new al Samoud ballistic missile Iraq is developing exceeds the 150 kilometer range limit imposed by UN resolutions. However, the UN says that is not the final conclusion (which could never come, depending on UN politics.) If a final conclusion were reached, Iraqi would be in violation of the UN resolutions.

There are now some 150,000 US troops in the Persian Gulf, with the total number ordered to the area up to 220,000.