THE RISING TOLL

The ceasefire agreed last week in the Iran/lraq war of the cities lasted only two days: it resumed, in a welter of charges and counter-charges by the two belligerents, with increased ferocity. Before the fragile truce came into force, more than 100 missiles had been fired, about 70 launched by Iraq and over 30 by Iran. Since then, much the same ratio of missile strikes has been maintained. The concentrated missile barrages have introduced a new and savage ingredient into the Gulf war. There is no longer any pretence that military targets are the objectives; the missile attacks are meant to cause civilian casualties and in this they are horribly effective