A force of Hizbullah terrorists in Iraq took part in a battle against US troops in Basra, according to an unconfirmed report by the Debka File.

"The new arrival has joined the armed Shiite groups and criminal gangs battling for control of Basra and its oil resources," the report stated. "Ignored by the international media, the Iraqi [Hizbullah] draws on its Lebanese command for orders, fighters, arms and cash. A tentacle of the Lebanese Shiite terror group has therefore quietly grabbed a piece of the insurgent action in Iraq under the aegis of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards al Qods Brigades."

British troops left Basra last December and the Iraqi government requested US troops to help stem the violence in the southern oil city. Heavy fighting continued Tuesday, with at least a half-dozen dead and dozens wounded.