British army raid in Basra.

The British army has conducted a major operation in Basra, Iraq. Five terrorist leaders and a quantity of ammunition have been seized. The BBC has a film report of the operation. The Daily Telegraph also covers the story with a report, a film and a slide show.

The assault into the densely populated Al Harthah district was launched when an "armoured fist" of 28 Warrior armoured vehicles carrying nearly 300 troops of the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment and 14 Challenger 2 main battle tanks stormed across the Qamart Ali bridge.

Click here for a graphic of the assault. No British casualties have been reported. The MoD also carries a brief account of the raid.

Elsewhere in Iraq, US forces killed 20 al Qaeda terrorists in Salahuddin province, north of Baghdad. An air strike was called in when coalition troops came under fire and the propaganda battle has begun over how many civilians were killed.

Tags: Basra, Iraq