Killed in a gun battle in the northern city of Mosul, Saddam's sons and most loyal henchmen Uday and Qusay, have been identified with the aid of dental records.
Their deaths may have put paid to Saddam's dynastic ambitions, and lifted a blanket of fear from the Iraqis, but they do not signal an end to armed resistance in Iraq - two American soldiers have since been killed in ambushes.
Qusay and Uday's faithful supporters gathered outside the villa in Mosul where the two men met their death. Most Iraqis feared and loathed Saddam Hussein's sons, but a few are loyal to the last. The Americans who stormed the building were reflecting on what they see as a job well done.
Corporal George Granler, 101 Airbourne:
"We came up expecting it was just a couple of gunmen that would probably give up like the rest of them, but they gave pretty good resistance."
Al Arabiya television showed how the Americans used tow missiles to attack the villa. What came back was small arms fire. Hundreds of Mosul residents were around and it seems that at least one person was injured in the melee.
The Americans have now released their version of what happened. They won't say who tipped them off - and gets the multi-million dollar bounty - but many in Mosul suggest it may have been Nawaf al Zaydan, a former Saddam supporter, and the owner of the villa where Uday and Qusay were hiding.
This is how the attack unfolded:
At 10.00, in the first assault, an Iraqi interpreter with a bull horn tells them to come out. They don't.
At 10.10 AM, troops enter the building and people on the second floor open fire with AK47's. Three coalition soldiers are injured on the stairs.
The troops withdraw
From 10.45, US forces concentrate heavy machine gun, rocket and helicopter fire on the building
At noon, they begin their second assault - they secure the lower floor but are fired on from above - the targets are well barricaded on the second floor. Again, the troops withdraw.
At 1.20 the building is assaulted for the third time. Troops reach the 2nd floor. They see three adults already dead. The remaining one shoots but is then killed.
At two in the afternoon, the Americans say the building is finally secured.
In Baghdad, the commander of ground forces was asked why they hadn't besieged the building to capture the brothers alive.
General Ricardo Sanchez, Commander Ground Forces:
"Our mission is to find, kill or capture.... "
No chance to interrogate Qusay and Uday then let alone put them on trial.
Press corp:
"Surely you must have considered this much more..."
General Ricardo Sanchez, Commander Ground Forces:
"Yes, we considered it but decided against it."
Press corp:
"Why Sir?"
General Ricardo Sanchez, Commander Ground Forces:
"Next question."
But in Baghdad, they were just happy that those they had feared so much are dead.
Fadil Abbas, Baghdad resident:
"We heard about Qusay and Uday being killed and frankly we're happy. If they had hoped they would return to power, now it's for certain that they're not coming back."
But in Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's home town, loyalists took comfort from a new audiotape apparently recorded by the old President two days before his sons' deaths and aired on al Arabiya.
Saddam Hussein:
"When the enemy declared officially that fighting is not over in Iraq, it's the only correct statement they've ever made. Indeed, the battle's not finished and our will to fight isn't weakened, neither on the political nor military level. Because the fight isn't over, the occupation can't rest or feel safe despite its presence on the ground."
His words are being borne out. Last night the Americans shot an Iraqi vehicle near Ramadi after a soldier was killed in an ambush - another soldier was killed today near Mosul.
The Americans hope the brothers' death will demoralise and decapitate the resistence to the occupation. Their fear is that the attacks may continue, encouraged by the words of the man they want more than anyone: Saddam Hussein himself.
Our Iraqi diarist in Mosul, Yahya, witnessed the incident and includes this picture he took at the scene.
Eye Witness Account:
US forces surround a house in Mosul
"As I was going to the internet cafe, which is about 2km from my home, I heard sound of bombing in the neighborhood, with huge number of American troops closing the area.
"A few seconds later, the choppers came, and a heavy gun shooting and bombing started. I don't know what was out there, till I went to the roof top.
"They were hitting the house of Nawwaf Al-Zaydan, the leader of the Saddam's special guards. I then left the cafe and headed toward the scene. The ruins of the house were still burning and the troops are surrounding the house.
"The troops told me that is one of the former leaders is in this house now. The bombing started at 10:30 am, and is still going on (now the clock is 2:00 pm Iraqi time). All neighbors of this house went out, afriad of being hurt.
"One of the witnesses said that at least four American soldiers were shot dead. Many injured. But we dont know the casualties on the other side."
Channel 4 News spoke to Yahya by phone this morning. This is what he reported:
"(In the house) there were only few people shooting with machine gun - but there were huge numbers of Americans - say 100 Humvees about 500 troops.
"They closed the area around the house, the road lead to the outside of Mosul up to the north. There were big traffic jams.
"One of the witnesses died - the neighbours came out, people started to protest - the Americans started to shoot in the air but nobody was scared by that nobody did anything so they had to shoot one man dead. They shot him in the head. One of the neighbours. One other was shot in leg and other in his abdomen.
"It is calm in Mosul, everything is as usual. No special celebrations. People are starting to forget what they did to the country. Some people are angry that there was no trial - some say no let them die in that way. The people are split 50-50. People want to see them on the air to make sure they are dead.
"People in the community I live in believe Saddam is alive and they will find him. I think he is in the north, maybe in Mosul. Nobody likes him in the south of Iraq. On TV we see Baghdad lots of troops. In Mosul we have seen few American troops."
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