US Launches New Offensive Into Fallujah Dubbed 'Operation Gnawing Rats'

US forces began a new military offensive against Fallujah at dawn on Tuesday that they have codenamed “gnawing rats” as the resitive city becomes the target of US aggression once again.

A major in the so-called Iraqi military told the correspondent for Mafkarat al-Islam that the operation aims at killing or arresting armed Resistance members in Fallujah, which, he claimed, have recently become noticeably active in the city. The operation is expected to last for a very long time.

'Gnawing Rats' was launched by the US Marines together with their puppet 'Iraqi army'as of 10am local time Tuesday morning, beginning with the arrest of 50 “suspects,” based on claims that the US military has information about the presence of Resistance fighters in the city. Because of the new offensive, Fallujah is once again paralyzed while being subjected to the campaign of arbitrary arrests and raids, so far on more than 70 houses.

Local residents accused, or rather confirmed, that the US and Iraqi puppet troops have not only been searching their houses but also robbing them as well.

New US Commander Arrives To Oversee 'Operation Gnawing Rats'

In a dispatch posted at 5:35am Mecca time Tuesday afternoon, the Mafkarat al-Islam correspondent in Fallujah reported that a new American military commander had arrived in the city to inspect and review the latest developments as the new “Operation gnawing rats” gets underway.

The correspondent reported that over flights by an unusually large group of American warplanes, six in total, plus a large number of helicopters provided air cover as more than 50 American occupation vehicles deployed, heralding the arrival of the US commander. Along with them came an unprecedented number of Iraqi puppet forces that have also been deployed in the city.

Meanwhile residents in the neighborhoods of al- Mu‘allimin, al-Muhandisin, and ash-Shuhada’ were put under curfew and their shops and stores were ordered closed.

Three US Marines Found Dead Tuesday In Western Fallujah

In other news filed by Mafkarat al-Islam at 5:35pm Mecca time Tuesday, three US Marines were found dead on the banks of the Euphrates River in the area “between the bridges” in western Fallujah. The cause of their deaths was not clear, given the relative calm that has prevailed in the area since Tuesday morning.

A source in the Iraqi puppet army who asked not to be identified, told Mafkarat al-Islam, however, that the bodies of the three Marines were founded by pipes that drain waste water from the eastern side of the river.

Americans Order No Press Activity In Fallujah Allowed Without Expressed Permission

US forces announced that they would arrest any journalist who enters Fallujah without a pass issued by them, or who takes photographs, or conducts interviews. The American announcement added that all journalists must refer to US occupation forces outside Fallujah before carrying out any journalistic activity. Civilians who entered Fallujah told Mafkarat al-Islam that the US occupation forces who searched them on their way into the city confiscated all camera cell phones.

US Distributes “Wanted” Posters For Shaykh ‘Abdallah Al-Jannabi As Residents Expect Another American Attack

US occupation forces in Fallujah distributed photographs of the Chairman of the Consultative Council of Mujahideen of Fallujah, Shaykh ‘Abdallah al-Jannabi, offering a reward of US$50,000 for his arrest or for assistance in securing his arrest.

The Mafkarat al-Islam correspondent in Fallujah reported a source in the puppet so-called “anti-terrorism force” in the city as saying that the Americans had intelligence information saying that Shaykh ‘Abdallah al-Jannabi, the Chairman of the Consultative Council of the Mujahideen and a number of former members of the council had entered the city and re-formed the Consultative Council of Mujahideen again. The source said that their information was that the Resistance leaders were preparing for a “decisive battle” with the invaders in the city.

Residents of Fallujah, however, considered the story as nothing more than a propaganda excuse that the Americans were going to use to justify yet another major attack on their city.

Resistance Responds To US Drive With Bombardment Of American Camp

In a dispatch posted at 11:35am Mecca time Tuesday morning, Mafkarat al-Islam reported that a short while earlier Iraqi Resistance forces had bombarded the US occupation camp north of Fallujah. The correspondent reported witnesses as saying that eight blasts shook the American camp sending clouds of black smoke rising into the sky. The attack was launched in response to the American offensive dubbed “Operation Gnawing Rats” that the US invaders launched on Tuesday morning.

Resistance Bombards US Headquarters In ‘Amiriyat Fallujah

In a dispatch posted at 12:15am Wednesday morning, Mecca time, Mafkarat al-Islam reported that Resistance fighters had been fiercely bombarding the US forces in the ‘Amiriyat Fallujah area, south of the city of al-Falllujah from Tuesday afternoon until the time of the filing.

The Mafkarat al-Islam correspondent reported that the facility for military production- now called al-‘Amir Facility, but known as the Saddam Facility for Military Production prior to the American occupation came under Resistance attack with Grad rockets Tuesday afternoon. A total of fifteen powerful explosions had gone off by 9pm Tuesday night, local time, as rockets blasted into the American-occupied facility. The correspondent who is located in the city was able to hear the explosions of the rockets going off in the facility outside of town. The Saddam Facility for Military Production has been an American headquarters for some two months now.