The World : Iran Says It Downed 3 Jets

Iranian warplanes shot down three Iraqi French-built Mirage jet fighters over the Persian Gulf, Tehran Radio said. If the claim is accurate, it would support reports that Iran has received a new shipment of parts to refurbish its aging U.S.-built aircraft. There was no immediate word from Iraq on the air battle, a rarity in the 7-year war, but it did say its warplanes attacked two large naval targets--Baghdad’s term for supertankers--off the Iranian coast. Meanwhile, four U.S. Navy warships left Bahrain and headed for home, signaling the start of a planned reduction of American forces in the region.