In the largest deployment of U.S. ground forces in months, 1,000 U.S. and Iraqi soldiers are advancing toward the Iraqi city of Fallujah on this, the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

The interim Iraqi government is threatening to launch a major invasion of the city with U.S. support if the Iraqi resistance doesn’t turn over the suspected Al Qaeda leader Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi.

Yesterday the US launched what Agence France Press described as a relentless campaign of air and artillery strikes in Fallujah. Iraqi hospital sources said 8 people were killed and 23 were wounded.