Saddam, in military uniform, appeared smiling and relaxed in the television footage, the first of him broadcast since Sunday.

The television said the meeting was attended by Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan, Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz, Military Industrialization Minister Abdul Tawwab al-Mullah Howeish, Trade Minister Mohammad Mehdi Saleh, Interior Minister Mahmud Diab al-Ahmed and Oil Minister Amer Rashid.

"The meeting paid tribute to the heroic resistance by our people's valiant armed forces and sons as they fight and drive back the cowardly American-British aggression," the television said.

A speech by Saddam on Tuesday calling for a holy war against the invaders had been read out by Information Minister Mohammed Said al-Sahhaf, leading to renewed speculation in Washington and London about whether the Iraqi leader survived thousands of missiles and bombs fired to topple his regime.

Saddam's main presidential palace was hit at least twice Wednesday in air attacks, the third straight day the sprawling Republican Palace had been targetted.

Earlier Wednesday state television, without airing images, said Saddam had chaired another meeting of advisers including his two sons: Qusay, head of the elite Republican Guard, and Uday, who runs the Fedayeen paramilitary corps.

SPACE.WIRE