Inside the U.S.-Led Fallujah Airstrikes

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq, Oct. 12, 2004 -- -- U.S. forces on Monday night dropped four 500-pound bombs on what they say were two meeting places for associates of terror leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. In the 24 hours before the strike, Col. Michael Regner was coordinating the attack at a remote Marine base just outside Fallujah.

Regner, operations director of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, is involved in every planned airstrike on Fallujah, and to hit the target in question, he wanted approval from his superiors.

The military says approval came after a long process, beginning with human intelligence on the ground, images sent back from unmanned aerial vehicles, and consultation with weapons experts.

"I have great individuals that you see right here, for example, that have the ability to mathematically estimate the collateral damage estimate, as well as the potentiality for human death, because you do both. You don't just worry about a building, you worry about possible death," Regner said.

The military says great care is taken to avoid killing innocent civilians. In some attacks women and children have been among dead, although the military says the numbers have been greatly exaggerated.

"There are innocent people harmed, yes," said Lt. Col. Steve Ralph. "We can identify 15 of the 20 people in that circle in that courtyard. We may not know who the other five people are, but to get the 15, we'll go ahead and do that."

Lt. Gen. John Sattler, commanding general of the Marine Expeditionary Force, told ABC News the strikes are weakening the opposition, but much more needs to be done in order for the Iraqis to hold elections in January.

"We have the capability, we have the forces, and we have the Iraqi security forces that will in fact be part of that solution," he said.

Sattler added there may be a negotiated solution, but if that effort fails, U.S. forces are ready to move into the town whenever the Iraqi government gives permission.

ABC News' Martha Raddatz filed this report for World News Tonight.