U.S. soldiers pound targets in 2 areas of Sunni insurgents

Ramadan, the Islamic holy month, nears.
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- U.S. forces stepped up operations today across a wide swath of the Sunni insurgent strongholds northwest of the capital, pounding targets in two cities from the air and supporting Iraqi troops in raids on mosques suspected of harboring insurgents.
The increased military activity coincided with the approach of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan and appeared intended to avoid a repeat of the upsurge in attacks that took place last year.
Restaurant hit
U.S. warplanes struck twice in insurgent-held Fallujah, destroying a popular restaurant and a house which the U.S. command said were used by members of Iraq's most feared terrorist organization. At least five people were killed and two wounded, the city hospital said.
More airstrikes were reported in Hit, where a hospital received two bodies. U.S. officials had no immediate comment.
At least 15 people were reported killed in an attack on an Iraqi National Guard outpost near the Syrian border. Residents claimed an American plane fired on the compound, but the U.S. Marines said insurgents staged the attack.
A 12:01 a.m. blast flattened the Haj Hussein restaurant in Fallujah as well as nearby shops, residents said. The restaurant was closed, but two night guards were killed, said Dr. Ahmed Thaer of Fallujah General Hospital.
The U.S. military command in Baghdad made no mention of the restaurant but said the target was used as a meeting place for the Tawhid and Jihad terror network, led by Jordanian-born extremist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
The second blast occurred at 4:02 a.m. and flattened a building in northeastern Fallujah which the military said was a known terrorist safe house. Intelligence sources confirmed that al-Zarqawi associates were using the building at the time of the strike, the military said.
At least three people were killed and two wounded in that blast, Thaer said.
Al-Zarqawi's network has claimed responsibility for numerous car bombings, kidnappings and beheadings of foreign hostages.
Progress reported
Today's strikes were the first since Oct. 6. The Iraqi government has reported progress in negotiations to restore control over the city 40 miles west of Baghdad.
American warplanes and helicopters struck in two parts of Hit, killing two people and injuring five, the hospital said. Residents went to the town hall to demand local authorities negotiate a cease-fire.
The previous day, U.S. aircraft attacked a town mosque and set it on fire after insurgents hiding in the shrine opened fire on Marines, the U.S. military said. Sporadic clashes continued through the night, killing at least two Iraqis and wounding 15, according to Hit General Hospital.
Guard outpost
The Iraqi National Guard outpost east of Qaim was attacked in the early hours of the morning. Residents said U.S. warplanes were in action over the area, but the U.S. Marines said there were no American operations there and insurgents staged the attack. Between 15 and 20 people were killed in the attack, according to Hamid Ahmed Ali, a city hospital official.
Beheading on tape
Meanwhile, a videotape surfaced on the Internet today showing what was said to be the confession and beheading of an Arab Shiite Muslim, presumably Iraqi, who was accused of serving the U.S. Army by "assassinating Sunni leaders."
The video's authenticity could not be verified, but it was posted in the name of the Ansar al-Sunna Army, on a Web site where such militant content is often released.
Hostages freed
Also today, Islamic insurgents released 10 Turkish hostages in Iraq, and their employer said today that his company will resume operations in the war-torn country because it was unclear whether the abductions were politically motivated or criminal.
The hostages, who were released Monday night, arrived in the Turkish Embassy in Baghdad this morning, their company, the Ankara-based VINSAN, said.
"They treated us quite well, they gave us food and a place to sleep, they did not beat us or do anything like that," Osman Ayaz, one of the released hostages, told private CNN-Turk television by telephone from Baghdad.