World Notes THE GULF

After suffering Iranian missile attacks against its capital of Baghdad over the past three years, Iraq finally struck back last week. For the first time, Iraq fired surface-to-surface missiles at Tehran. Iran claimed that at least 30 civilians were killed and 130 wounded. Though Iraq had sent bombers against Iran's capital before, until now it lacked missiles that could reach Tehran, 280 miles from its border. The longer-range weapons reportedly are Soviet-made Scud B missiles, which usually travel up to 174 miles; the Iraqis may have increased the reach of the missiles by reducing the explosive warhead or by adding boosters.