King Hussein designates Prince Abdallah as heir to the throne. (JT 1/25 in WNC 1/26; JTV, Petra-JNA 1/25, 1/26 in WNC 1/27; NYT, WP, WT 1/26; Petra-JNA, RJ 1/26, RJ 1/27 in WNC 1/28; NYT 1/27; MEI, PR 1/29; al-Dustur 1/30 in WNC 2/2; CSM 2/2; WT 2/3; WJW 2/4) (see 1/22)
PM Netanyahu wins Likud primary over Arens. (Netanyahu takes over 75% of the votes, but only 30% of Likud mbrs. participate) Fmr. DM Mordechai announces that he will challenge Netanyahu for the premiership as leader of an emerging centrist party that includes fmr. IDF chief of staff Shahak, fmr. Finance M Meridor, fmr. Tel Aviv mayor Roni Milo. Shahak, Meridor drop their bids for PM. (MM 1/25; CSM, WP, WT 1/26; WJW 1/28, 2/4) (see 1/24)
Britain says that it is not party to U.S. attempts to overthrow Iraqi pres. Saddam Hussein, it will not assist the Iraqi opposition militarily. (MENA 1/25 in WNC 1/26) (see 1/21)
U.S. planes strike antimissile batteries in n., s. no-fly zones for 3d straight day. In Basra, 1 or more U.S. missiles goes astray, killing 11 Iraqi civilians, wounding 59. The U.S. recently expanded its strikes to include security infrastructure as well as missile batteries, radar stations; says that containing Saddam Hussein through low-visibility, sustained, reactive bombing is the only military action politically acceptable to Arab states. (CSM, NYT, WP, WT 1/26; MENA 1/26 in WNC 1/27; JT 1/28 in WNC 1/29; MEI 1/29; NYT, WP 2/3; WP 2/13) (see 1/21)
SLA releases 16 detainees fr. al-Khiyam prison for humanitarian reasons. (VOL 1/25 in WNC 1/26)
IDF drops airborne commando unit into Wadi al-Hujayr in s. Lebanon to set up an ambush on road btwn. al-Ghanduriyya and Burj Qalawayh. Results in 4-hr. combat with Hizballah, including IDF air support. IDF allegedly aborts 2d drop. (RL 1/25 in WNC 1/26)