Allied forces, led by Saudi troops, try to liberate small Saudi border town of Khafji after 1st major Iraqi ground assault had captured the town; reports say 12 Marines, perhaps as many as 500 Iraqis are killed in the battle (cf. 1/31) [NYT, LAT, WT, WP 1/31].
Responding to questions about 1/29 joint U.S.-Soviet statement, U.S. officials say it was intended as gesture to keep Moscow's backing for coalition, and not a softening of previous demands for ending war. P.M. Shamir bitterly complains that he was not given advance notice of joint statement [NYT, LAT, WP 1/31].
U.S. commander Gen. Schwarzkopf tells reporters that 75% of Iraq's command, control, and communications facilities have been bombed, and that the Iraqi air force is no longer a viable military threat [LAT, WP 1/31].
Jordanian F.M. Taher Masri accuses U.S. of violating Geneva Convention by bombing civilian traffic near the Jordan-Iraq border, killing 4 Jordanians and 1 Egyptian; some refugees claim allies have deliberately targeted oil tankers, buses, and refugee convoys [NYT, LAT, WT, WP 1/31].
Jordanian officials say since 2 August, about 323,000 men and women have volunteered for Jordan's Popular Army; many have expressed desire to fight for Iraq [LAT 1/31].
As part of psychological war, U.S. has dropped at least 4 million leaflets on Iraqi troops, promising them safe passage if they wish to surrender [LAT 1/31].
Pres. Mubarak makes unannounced visit to Tripoli to meet with Libyan leader Qaddafi [LAT 1/31].
EC decides how to divide $685 million in loans and grants to Egypt, Turkey, and Jordan to help compensate for Gulf crisis losses: Egypt will receive $240 million grant; Jordan, a $205 million grant; and Turkey, an interest-free loan of $240 million. Individual EC states earlier gave the 3 nations $1.37 billion [NYT, LAT, WP 1/31].
Breaking long-standing official policy against shipping weapons to areas of tension, German gov't. announces $700-million military support package to Israel [LAT, WP 1/31; NYT 2/1]; Germany also offers Britain $535 million and military equipment for its role in Gulf war [WT 1/31; NYT 2/1].
Israel shells 2 villages in S. Lebanon's Biqqa Valley after rockets struck Israeli positions in "security zone"; no injuries are reported [LAT 1/31]; Israeli officials believe that PLO has begun operations against Israel on behalf of Iraq [WP 1/31].