The United States has suspended its U-2 surveillance flights over Iraq, after an incident Tuesday which forced the planes to return to base.
US officials said Iraqi jets threatened the unarmed U2 spy planes as they were supporting UN weapons inspections in Iraq.
Iraq said the United Nations admitted it made a mistake by allowing two spy planes to fly into Iraq, saying the second flight was unscheduled.
The development came as Iraq started to destroy more of its prohibited al-Samoud-two missiles, but the United Nations said Baghdad must do more to disarm.
Hiro Ueki, a spokesman for the UN inspectors, said Iraq was scrapping more of the missiles on Tuesday, but it was unclear how many. Iraq has crushed about half of its declared al-Samoud arsenal of about 100 missiles, after being ordered to do so on March first by the United Nations.
Mr. Ueki said Iraq still needs to answer a number of outstanding issues on disarmament, including questions of VX nerve gas and anthrax.
Chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix Monday criticized Iraq for not declaring a pilotless plane, known as a drone. But he said the legality of the drone would depend on whether it has a range of more than 150 kilometers, or if it were linked to biological or chemical weapons.
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer Tuesday termed the matter of the drone "of utmost importance," saying all indications are that it could be used to disburse biological and chemical weapons.