American officials said two planes had been fired on from anti-aircraft positions near the city of Mosul and that in response a guided missile was fired.

Jon Leyne: "Despite the smiles for the cameras, there was some tough talking"

An Iraqi spokesman said both military and civilian targets had been attacked and that five people were killed.

The latest confrontation happened as the Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz tried to persuade Turkish leaders to end co-operation with the Americans.

Following a series of air attacks by US and UK aircraft on the country in recent weeks, Iraq is trying a combination of diplomacy and threats of aggression to try to stop the planes using airbases in the region.

Baghdad has threatened possible retaliation against Kuwait and Saudi Arabia if they continue to allow their bases to be used for no-fly patrols over Iraq.

Appeal to Turkey

Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz met Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit to try to convince him to stop allowing Allied planes from using the Incirlik base to patrol the northern no-fly zones.

"The use of Incirlik air base (in southern Turkey) by American planes to bomb Iraq is a blemish on Iraqi-Turkish relations. We must eliminate this blemish," Mr Aziz said in a Turkish newspaper interview.

However the Turkish Government has already reiterated that it will not alter its policy of allowing its bases to be used.

Chris Morris: "Tariq Aziz said that the real trouble is that of foreign interference"

Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said: "There will be no change on Incirlik. Our parliament has taken a decision on Incirlik and our government does not have an opposite stance," he said via the Anatolia news agency.

But the Turkish foreign minister denied that the Iraqi deputy premier's visit had created tension between Ankara and Washington, which said earlier in the week that it did "not understand Turkey's invitation to Aziz".

"Turkey has always called on Iraq to fully comply with UN resolutions," he said.

Iraq's warning

On Sunday Iraq warned Saudi Arabia and Kuwait that it had the ability to target their military bases. Saudi officials have previously denied that their bases have been used for air strikes against Iraq.

George Alagiah in Baghdad: The first time since the Gulf War that Iraq has made such a direct threat

A statement issued after a meeting of top Iraqi officials led by Saddam Hussein said: "We warn the rulers of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait and tell them 'you are now involved in an aggressive war which the peoples of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have no interest in, but America and Zionism do'.

"We are able to target sources and means of aggression, from anywhere it is launched, after relying on God and the support of our Arab nation," the statement warned.

Loss of trade

Turkish officials argue that they have to talk to Iraqi leaders - even if that upsets the US - because they want to maintain good relations with Baghdad, in preparation for when international trade sanctions are eventually lifted.

Turkey says it has lost more than $30bn in border trade with its neighbour since sanctions were imposed on Iraq after the 1991 Gulf War.

Turkey wants to see sanctions against Iraq lifted, but Mr Aziz will be urged that Baghdad should comply with all relevent UN resolutions, according to our Ankara correspondent.

Mr Aziz is likely to be disappointed on the airbase issue, but the fact that his visit is taking place at all, is a success for Iraqi diplomacy in the region.