The United States has announced that the "opening stages" of military action have begun to pave the way for an invasion of Iraq to oust President Saddam Hussein.

CNN reported that air raid sirens were heard in Baghdad at about 5:30am this morning (10:30am Malaysian time), about 90 minutes after the US deadline for Saddam to step down.

US warplanes have earlier bombed Iraqi artillery positions in the southern no-fly-zones.

Fight to the end

In an immediate reaction, Iraqi ambassador to Malaysia Kais Al-Yacoubi said his country was prepared to fight the end to stop the US-led invasion.

"It is not a question of winning. We did not ask for this. They wanted it and it's our duty to defend our honour.

"We all know that the US is not interested in peace," he lamented.