US aircraft launched two rounds of strikes on a northern neighbourhood of Fallujah, according to residents and an AFP correspondent in the city, but the military only confirmed one operation at about 4:00 am (midnight GMT).

"Three people were killed and six others wounded," said Dr Rafaa Hiad at the city's main hospital.

The US military said the raids were against suspected hideouts of fighters loyal to Islamic militant Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi, the most wanted man in Iraq who is responsible for scores of deadly anti-coalition attacks and kidnappings.

The military said the strike targeted plotters of suicide bombings in Iraq, in the grip of escalating violence ahead of national elections planned for January.

The US military has been pounding the insurgent enclave relentlessly in recent days launching two raids on Saturday on what it said were a suspected hideout and meeting place of the Zarqawi network.

Medics said at least 15 people were killed and 33 wounded in Saturday's raids.

The military says the strikes have eliminated scores of Zarqawi's followers and disrupted his network, but doctors at Fallujah's hospitals claim that many of the victims of the raids are women and children.

"We don't target innocent civilians but there's always a chance the Zarqawi network or other criminal elements use facilities or weapons storage sites that are in close proximity to Iraqi people," a senior US military official said recently.

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