U.S. troops have launched an operation against insurgents behind attacks on coalition forces in Baghdad.
U.S. military officials say two suspects were killed and five others detained. One target of the strike was a warehouse U.S. officials say guerrillas used to plan attacks on U.S. forces.
The operation comes hours after a truck bomb killed 18 Italians and eight Iraqis in southern Iraq. The truck exploded after it crashed through barriers in front of Italian military police headquarters in Nasiriyah. Italy's defense minister says there is evidence linking the attack to fighters loyal to ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
In other violence, military officials say U.S. troops killed six attackers and detained eight Tuesday when Iraqi insurgents attacked a hospital in Fallujah.
Meanwhile, President Bush discussed speeding up the transfer of political power to Iraqis with his top civil administrator in Iraq, Paul Bremer. Mr. Bremer would not discuss the substance of the meeting.
Officials have said his discussions included possible changes in the workings of Iraq's U.S. - appointed Governing Council and the timing of Iraq's transition to self-rule.