Saturday 16 October 2004, 23:39 Makka Time, 20:39 GMT
US warplanes launched fierce strikes on the western Iraqi city of Falluja on Saturday night, a Reuters witness said.
He said tanks could be seen moving on a highway just outside Falluja and were shelling the city.
Iraq's US-backed interim government has warned that it will launch a major offensive in Falluja if the city does not hand over alleged al-Qida linked Jordanian Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
Falluja representatives and fighters in the city say they have seen no evidence of Zarqawi being there.
US warplanes bomb rebel targets in Falluja nearly every day, hoping to smash Zarqawi's alleged network. Residents say the strikes kill only civilians.