FALLUJAH, April 7 -- U.S. forces fired missiles at a mosque in the flashpoint city of Fallujah Wednesday after taking several hours of fire from insurgents who were using it as cover to attack Marines advancing through the city.

Five Marines had been shot from the mosque before commanders authorized the use of air power and laser-guided missiles against it. They had rejected the air attack several times, according to Marine officers and radio communications monitored from a command post by a Washington Post reporter.

"We've got to be careful," said one officer receiving a request for air support from the Marines around the mosque.

"We have some bad folks dug in," came the response. "They're creating a problem for us. What should we do? We need backup."

"We need regimental approval," came the reply.

Not long afterwards, a spokesman at the command post said the air support was authorized. A spokesman said the missiles were fired from a helicopter and a jet.

Neither the number of people inside at the time nor the number injured in the air strike could be determined.

The mosque was one of two that insurgents had used during fighting Wednesday in Fallujah, where four American contractors were killed and mutilated a week ago. The Marines managed to clear the second mosque without air power...