Baghdad ? Iraq’s prime minister appeared to clear the way Monday – with a last-minute push from the U.S. ambassador – for a crisis council that seeks to save his crumbling government.

The U.S. military, meanwhile, announced a third major operation since additional U.S. troops arrived and said it would target al-Qaida in Iraq and Iranian-allied Shiite militia fighters nationwide. The military gave few other details.

Four U.S. soldiers were killed Monday across Iraq, the military said. Three were killed in an explosion near their vehicle in northern Ninevah province, while the other died during fighting in Baghdad. At least 35 U.S. troops have been killed in Iraq this month.