U.S. forces have again been bombing targets in the Iraqi city of Fallujah, as insurgents stepped up their attacks across the country.
Witnesses say bombs hit several areas of Fallujah. U.S. military officials say they destroyed munition sites. The Wednesday strikes come as American troops prepare for an expected assault on the city to rid it of insurgents before Iraq's January election.
Meanwhile, in Baghdad, insurgents killed a senior oil ministry official and attacked a checkpoint near the city's main airport. South of the capital, a bomb attack killed an American soldier.
In other developments, Iraqi police are investigating the identities of three bodies found in the Tigris River. It is not immediately clear if the bodies are those of three Iraqi National Guardsmen that militants say they beheaded for spying for U.S. forces.
Some information provided by AP and Reuters.