Iraq has fired a missile toward a U.S. early-warning reconnaissance plane that flew over Saudi Arabia.

U.S. officials said the Iraqi missile missed a U.S. AWACS radar plane that flew earlier this week on routine patrol near the Saudi border. Last month, officials said Iraq fired a missile at another U.S. reconnaissance plane Ñ this time flying in Kuwaiti airspace.

The officials said the sighting of the Iraqi missile came from the pilot of the AWACS. No other evidence of the Iraqi missile launch was reported. CBS News reported that the Iraq appears to have relocated its anti-aircraft batteries to the Saudi border. The Pentagon has not confirmed the report but said President Saddam Hussein has ordered his forces to down allied warplanes.

"The volume of fire is up throughout both northern and southern watch as compared to say a year ago at this time," Pentagon spokesman Craig Quigley said. "It is very clear that he is very focused and determined to bring down a coalition aircraft."

U.S. officials and Gulf defense sources said the Saddam regime has begun flexing its muscles toward Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. They said Iraqi warplanes are also for the first time flying along the western border with Jordan. The Gulf sources said the United States appears to be planning an attack on Iraq at the end of August.

For their part, Iraqi officials said Britain and the United States continued their flights over northern and southern Iraq. The flights are meant to enforce the no-fly zones in these areas.

Saddam has ordered his military chiefs to prepare for a U.S. attack on Iraq. The president convened another meeting of his military commanders on Tuesday.

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