A suicide bomber today blew up his vehicle at a main gate to the headquarters compound of the US-led coalition in Baghdad, killing about 20 people in the deadliest attack since the capture of Saddam Hussein last month.

A car bomb exploded outside the main gate to the headquarters of the U.S.-led coalition today, killing 23 people, including two Americans who may have been civilian contractors, U.S. officials said.

AIRCRAFT screamed in low over the Iraqi capital, shaking buildings early yesterday with a heavy bombardment. As anti-aircraft guns responded, a call of ‘God is great’ rang out from a mosque.

HEAVY explosions, air raid sirens and the crackle of anti-aircraft fire thundered through Baghdad last night as the Iraqi capital faced a second night of US-led attacks.