Iranian weapons smugglers targeted in Iraq attack

CNN:

Coalition raids aimed at disrupting the flow of weapons and fighters between Iraq and Iran resulted in at least 20 militants killed early Monday in eastern Iraq, according to a statement from the U.S. military.

Coalition aircraft were called in to strafe fighters who attacked Coalition troops in Amarah and Majjar al-Kabir, two Shiite cities in the Mayson province bordering Iran, the military said.

"During the close air support, at least 20 terrorists were killed and six suspected terrorists were assessed to be wounded by the strafing," the military said. "A vehicle being used by the terrorists as a fighting position was also destroyed by the close air support."

Coalition forces captured militants who are "believed to be members of the secret cell terrorist network known for facilitating the transport of weapons and explosively formed penetrators, or EFPs, from Iran to Iraq, as well as bringing militants from Iraq to Iran for terrorist training," the military said.

The military said it has intelligence reports indicating that Amarah and Majjar al-Kabir are safe havens and smuggling routes for terrorists to import Iranian weapons into Iraq for the insurgency.

"Reports further indicate that Iranian surrogates, or Iraqis that are liaisons for Iranian intelligence operatives into Iraq, use both Amarah and Majjar al-Kabir as safe haven locations," the military said.

The raids apparently involved Iraqi and British troops in a multi-national force. British troops recently handed over security responsibility for the Mayson province to Iraqi security forces.

...

Cutting off the ratlines from Iran is going to be necessary for the surge to succeed. This is rare action for the Brits and the Iraqi army in the south. As the story indicates, the area has already been turned over to the Iraqis so the Brit troops were supporting them in the operation.

Bill Roggio has more on the attack on the Iranian logistic lines into Iraq.