U.S. Marines clashed with several groups of insurgents on the outskirts of the rebel bastion of Fallujah and launched air strikes at rebel targets, the U.S. command said Friday. Around sundown Thursday, rebels fired small arms, rocket-propelled grenades and mortars at U.S. forces, who hit back with ground fire and air strikes. Hospital officials in Fallujah reported that eight people were killed and two wounded in the fighting. The U.S. command said it had no information on "anti-Iraq forces" killed. On Friday, the military said that "combat operations" have not begun and American forces have not entered the city. Coalition forces are still conducting "security operations," the military said.
