Iraqi prominent Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr was injured in the US bombing of flashpoint city of Najaf, but his conditions were unknown yet, the Arabic-language al-Arabiya TV channel reported on Friday.

The report said that al-Sadr suffered three injuries to his body, but did not say how and when he was wounded.

The US troops and Iraqi security forces backed by warplanes and helicopters on Thursday launched a major assault on the Mehdi Army,followers of al-Sadr, in the holy city of Najaf in a bid to end the fierce fighting there.

Also on Thursday, the US troops stormed the Najaf house of al-Sadr. They broke into the house in the center of the city, only to find it was empty.

The raid came after US warplanes bombed targets near the house and US marines battled militiamen in the area.

Al-Sadr has urged his supporters to keep fighting against US forces even if he was killed or captured.

"Keep fighting even if you see me a prisoner or a martyr, God willing. You will be victorious," the cleric said in a statement on Wednesday.

Source: Xinhua