The initial strikes o­n Baghdad, which the Pentagon called a 'decapitation' exercise, may have killed President Saddam Hussein or o­ne of his sons, said a media report today.

Quoting intelligence sources, ABCNews said it is believed that the president and his sons were in a residential complex when the missiles struck at 10.30am (Malaysian time) and that at least o­ne of them could have been killed.

The report added that intelligence officials were divided over whether the 66-year-old leader was killed or just wounded in the morning raid.

Sources said the strikes targetted a large residential complex in a Baghdad suburb, not a military installation or o­ne of Saddam's palaces.