6AM: the helicopters reach Perejil Island and hover above it.
6.05 AM: It is unclear who shot first. The Moroccans say that a Spanish helicopter shot first upon seeing the Moroccan positions. The Spaniards say that the Moroccan defenders shot first to prevent a landing. Anyway, a few minutes after the arrival of the commandos, what was supposed to be a bloodless operation has become a firefight, with Spanish helicopters firing to the Moroccan positions while they try to find a good spot to land.
6.15AM: after some minutes of chaos and with both sides already sustaining some casualties, the first squad of Spanish commandos is able to land in the highest point of the island while some of the Messerschmit combat helicopters escorting them open fire on the Moroccan positions.
6.25 AM: the Spaniards have won a decent foothold on the island despite having suffered heavy losses. Meanwhile, the Moroccan defenders call for support.
6-30 AM: PM Aznar is informed that things have gone horribly wrong. He still can't suspect that they will go much, much, worse.
6.45 AM: Moroccan light artillery based off the coast opens on the Spanish positions in Perejil. [heavy artillery would probably reduce the entire island to rubble :P]
6.50 AM: Spanish F-18 patroling the zone bomb the Moroccan batteries, evading before any enemy AA battery can lock on them. Unfortunately for a lot of people, the Moroccan commander is able to send a radio message informing that his position is under attack of Spanish warplanes.
7AM: The Spanish commander, Admiral Moreno Barberá, coordinating the entire operation aboard the ship Castilla in the Gulf of Cadiz receives intel reports about the magnitude of the Moroccan deployment around Ceuta. What seems to be several infantry brigades supported by helicopters and heavy artillery have been deployed around the city. Barberá is now in a difficult position. It looks like the situation in Perejil has gone out of control, with the fighting extending to the mainland. Instead of the quick, clean operation expected, the assault on the island has become a bloody mess with casualties ranging on tens. And now the Moroccan deployment seems to indicate that the Perejil operations is only a small part of their operative. Spanish doctrine in this event has always been to strike first in case preparations for a Moroccan offensive are evident to deny them any numbers and surprise advantage. With the available information, Admiral Barberá decides that only a preemptive air and naval strike on the Moroccan positions can prevent a surprise Moroccan attack in Ceuta.
7.05 AM: After a brief conversation with Admiral Barberá, PM Aznar authorizes the raid. Shortly after, he will report to the King and present his resignation as President of the Spanish government.
7.15 AM: The frigates Navarra and Numancia open fire on the Moroccan positions around Perejil and Ceuta.
7.20 AM: The Moroccan command in Rabat receives news of the Spanish raid. It seems that the Spaniards have gone nuts and started bombing Moroccan territory. Contingency plans for such an event are activated.
In Perejil, the fighting stops briefly as the soldiers see how the missiles raise from the frigates' launchers towards the Moroccan positions. They know that now the situation has gone out of control.
In the Gulf of Cadiz, the Principe de Asturias goes into full alert. The planes aboard the carrier are readied for a combat exit.
The air bases of Alcantarilla, Morón, Los Llanos, Talavera, Armilla and San Javier, [all the airbases assigned to the Strait Air Command] receive orders to prepare for an eventual strike on Northern Morocco.
7.25 AM: A missile launched from the Numancia misses and hits the' village of El Horra, killing several civilians.
7.30 AM: In Washington, President George Bush' aide awakens him, reporting that what seems to be a shooting war has broken out in the Gibraltar Straits.
In Las Palmas, the Air Command of Canarias based at the Gando airbase is ordered to go into full alert.
In Ceuta and Melilla, the mayor-presidents of both cities [yes, that's their official title] are informed by the military commanders of the plazas that, since the situation may degenerate into a full war, the cities must be placed under curfew. Military forces in the cities start to occupy defensive positions.
The Moroccan Royal Air Force is ordered to take off to engage the Spanish agressors. Moroccan airbases at Rabat, Meknes and Kenitra start preparations for the raid on the Spanish fleet.
7. 40 AM: The Ceutans are waken up by what seems to be very nearby explosions. In a few minutes, telephone lines at police, firemen and radio stations are collapsed, while people starts noticing the columns of military vehicles moving towards the city outskirts. The explosions actually come from Moroccan batteries bombed by the Spanish frigates.
