Nine Hezbollah militants captured in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Coalition forces in Iraq say they've captured nine men believed to be members of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and connected to arms smuggling.

The U.S.-led Multinational Forces issued a statement Tuesday saying the Baghdad arrests included a man described as a major leader of a Hezbollah operation to smuggle arms from Iran into Iraq via the southern city of Basra, as well as three of his associates.

A separate raid netted a man MNF officials said was a suspected terrorist and two accomplices involved in manufacturing improvised rockets and mortars, while a third raid in Baghdad resulted in the arrest of a another Hezbollah militant believed to be group's webmaster and propaganda organizer in Iraq, the statement said.

MNF officials say they believe Hezbollah is receiving funding and logistics support from Iran and its Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, also known as the Quds Force.