The U.S. military in Iraq says about 25 militants were killed and two houses destroyed in a U.S. air strike near Baquba, north of Baghdad Friday.

A military statement says support aircraft were called in after coalition troops came under attack during a raid targeting a "special groups" commander believed linked to the Quds force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. The United States has repeatedly accused the Quds force of supporting insurgents in Iraq.

The military says gunmen opened fire with assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, and at least one person was seen carrying what appeared to be an anti-aircraft weapon.

Iraqi relatives cry near a pick-up truck (unseen) carrying bodies of victims of a U.S. air raid on the village of al-Jayzani, near Baquba, 05 Oct 2007

Iraqi authorities say about 30 people were wounded in the pre-dawn air strike on a Shi'ite neighborhood in Khalis, northwest of Baquba. Iraqi officials say civilians were among the dead.

In other news, the U.S. military said three American troops were killed today in two separate roadside bomb attacks in Iraq. The military says five troops were wounded in the bombings in southeastern Baghdad and in Salahuddin province.

Earlier, the military announced a U.S. soldier was killed by small arms fire Thursday during operations in southern Baghdad.

In other developments, the deputy commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, Lieutenant General Raymond Odierno, told the Washington Post newspaper he will recommend that five Iranians captured by U.S. forces in January not be released when their case is reviewed this month.

U.S. military officials have said the five were helping militants in Iraq fight U.S. and Iraqi forces. Tehran says the men are diplomats and has demanded their release.

Separately, the U.S. military says it is investigating the deaths of three Iraqi civilians shot by coalition troops Thursday in a village near Musayyib, south of Baghdad. The incident happened near a checkpoint set up by Iraqis who have joined the fight against extremists.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.