In November 2004 during Operation Phantom Fury, the U.S. staged a large scale assault on Fallujah and captured Moayad Ahmed Yasseen, the leader of Jaysh Muhammad. Yasseen while under detention of the Coalition soldiers confessed to seeking aid from the Iranian government and having contacts with Iranian intelligence officers. Yasseen was a former colonel in Saddam Hussein's army. Yaseen went on to state Iranian officials provided money, weapons "and as far as I know even car bombs" for the group. He said among the officials they met in Iran was its supreme leader Ali Khamenei. He further stated he received permission from Saddam Hussein, before his capture, to seek money and weapons from the Syrian government, he did not state if that request was granted. Stratfor however reported that no evidence has been produced to date that Hussein oversaw strategic decision-making for, or provided money to, any guerrilla force. Furthermore, Jeish Muhammad in a statement to Basra Network denied that Yassen was ever a commanding general in the group, as was claimed in the media.