American forces pushed through the centre of the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah today, fighting bands of guerrillas in the streets and conducting house-to-house searches on the second day of a major offensive to retake the Iraqi city from Islamic militants.

American forces thrust into the heart of the rebel stronghold of Fallujah today, fighting fierce street battles not seen since the Vietnam war and conducting house-to-house searches on the second day of a major assault to recapture the Iraqi city.

A car bomb blew up in western Baghdad today as the Iraqi justice minister’s convoy passed, killing five of his bodyguards and wounding two other people, authorities said.

Insurgents fired at least eight mortar rounds at a US base on the outskirts of Baghdad International Airport today, wounding six soldiers, two of them critically, and starting a fire that burned for well over an hour.