WASHINGTON. February 1 -U.S. commanders on Thursday dismissed an Iraqi attack Into Saudi Arabia as a mere mosquito bile but military reports suggested Iraq might be readying a much bigger offensive. reports Reuter.

General Norman Schwarzkopf, the blunt and burly commander of Operation Desert Storm.led what appeared to be a major public relations effort to reassure the public that the Wcstem-Arab coalition would surely win the 15 day-old war and to muffle shockwaves stirred by Iraqi ^otirmred attacks that killed

II U.S. marines and briefly hckl a Saudi border town .

This ha* been in some corners touted as a great vic-lory

To me It's about as significant a* a mosquito on an elephant." S< hwarzlkopf said in one of several appearance* on U. S. morning television shows.

Saudi troops backed by U. S marine air power recaptured Khalji on Thursday. destroying a number of tanks and taking about 160 Iraqi prisoners. Allied military briefers said .

U. S Brigadier General Pat Stevens, a military briefer In Rtyadh. Saudi Arabia said he

too wished to dispel any Im pression the Khufjl battle amounted to " a major victory" for Iraq.

"Our view of that 1s that It's a reconnaissance In force . an attempt to seek ua out try and determine what our strengths and dispositions are" Stevens said.

Pentagon briefer Lieutenant-General Tom Kelly called the Khaljl raid a “ pretty shabby achievement . " They got kicked right back across the border." Kelly said.

Despite disparaging re murks about Iraqi prowess and tactic*. U.S. Intelligent c

reports said up to 1.000 more Iraqi military vehicles were moving through southern Kuwait towards the Saudi bor

"Roughly 800 to 1.000 vehicles are moving now . in columns. In small groups, in convoys" said Manne Ucuten ant-Colonel Dick "snake" white, commander of a Tomcat Squadron o( harrier jump Jets at an allied base near the frontier.

The Pentagon refused comment, but some analysts speculated Iraq might be trying to bait Allied forces Into a ground war and that U. S. commanders might relish a chance to pound exposed convoys with air power.

Allied attacks to date have been confined chiefly to bomb and rocket attacks bn Iraq and Iraqi occupied Kuwait

Briefers said on Thursday about 32,000 sortk-s has been flown.

A report of a missing female soldier was given at the Riyadh briefing and was devoid of detail on the circumstances or location of the Incident.

Stevens sold only that " two soldiers, one male and one female arc missing following a transport mission today . they were not involved In the fighting around Khalji."

AFP reports from Khaljl :Thc Iraqis suffered heavy casualties and lost scores of vehicles In their failed two-day battle for this border town .the commander of the Allied Arab and Muslim forces who retook Khaljl said late Thursday.

Around 200 Iraqis were reported killed or Injured .