Israeli aerial attacks this past weekend on suspected munitions sites in Syria heightened and further complicated the tensions in the region.
But the senior American officials say they were troubled about reports of munitions sites with no visible security.
A Pentagon spokesman, Bryan G. Whitman, said tonight, "All known Iraqi munitions sites are being secured by coalition forces".
A1 Weapon Sites Unguarded in Iraq American officials said about 50 munitions sites in Iraq containing explosives similar to those used in recent bombings remained largely unguarded.
According to statements from Libya's recognised government, between 40 and 65 militants were killed in the initial raids that targeted training facilities and munitions sites.
General Abizaid's sobering assessment directly contradicted reassurances from a senior Pentagon official earlier in September that "all known Iraqi munitions sites are being secured by coalition forces".
The scope of the problem is much larger than the Pentagon acknowledged three weeks ago, when senior military officials insisted that all known munitions sites in Iraq had been secured.
Senior civilian American officials in Iraq, who have privately raised concerns about security at some munitions sites, say even a small number of poorly guarded sites would pose a risk to American forces and the reconstruction effort.
GAZA (Reuters) -- Israeli planes and helicopters mounted at least seven missile attacks on targets in the Gaza Strip on Friday, destroying what an Israeli military spokesman said were Palestinian munitions sites.
Over time, however, he and his family came to believe his illness was a result of repeated exposure to chemicals drawn into his plane as he bombed munitions sites in Iraq.
