– Israel Goes on the Offensive

Israeli air force pounds Beirut
BBC

Israel is continuing its Lebanon military offensive, bombing more than 40 targets, mainly in southern Beirut, in the early hours of Friday.

Troops are also fighting Hezbollah militants inside the Lebanese border.

The Israeli army says four of its soldiers were killed and several others hurt in those clashes, but that there were also Hezbollah casualties.

Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrallah has appeared on TV, saying Israel has not dented the group's capabilities.

'Ambulances targeted'

Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said the number of Lebanese killed in the 10 days of violence was more than 330.

In an interview with CNN he said that more than 55 bridges had been destroyed, and that Israeli forces had also targeted ambulances and medical convoys.

"This attack is no longer against Hezbollah, it is an attack against the Lebanese and Lebanon," he said.

Bombed-out roads and bridges are hampering aid efforts and on Thursday the UN warned that the humanitarian crisis was worsening by the hour. About 500,000 people are believed to have been internally displaced by the conflict.

Thirty-four Israelis have been killed in the fighting, including 15 civilians killed by rockets fired by Hezbollah into Israel.

Reserves called up

The BBC's Tim Franks in Israel says that on the ground Israeli forces are pushing further into Lebanon in an attempt apparently to flush out well-camouflaged Hezbollah positions.

The Israeli army continues to describe these operations as "pin-point", involving fewer than a thousand troops.

However, reports in the Israeli media say that several thousand have already been deployed and that large numbers of reserves have been called up.

Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz has warned that Israel is prepared to launch a full-scale ground operation if necessary.

"Let no terror organisation feel we would cower from any operation," he said. "We have no intention of conquering Lebanon but... we will do it without thinking twice."

UN appeal

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has called on Israel and Hezbollah to bring hostilities in Lebanon to a swift stop.

Mr Annan condemned Hezbollah for sparking the latest violence in the country, but also attacked Israel for what he called its "excessive use of force".

The crisis was triggered by the capture of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah militants on 12 July.

In an interview with Arabic TV network al-Jazeera Sheikh Nasrallah said his group would give up the Israeli soldiers only in a prisoner exchange.

"Even the whole universe would not be able to secure the release of the two Israeli soldiers unless there are indirect negotiations and an exchange of prisoners," he said.

'Leadership intact'

Sheikh Nasrallah also said that the Israeli attacks had not dented Hezbollah's capabilities, saying: "Hezbollah has so far remained steadfast."

Israel says it has bombed a bunker used by Mr Nasrallah and has destroyed much of the militia's missile stocks.

He said the group had "managed to absorb the strike" and was preparing to take "the initiative" in the fight against Israel and "offer some surprises".

"All of Israel's claims to have hit half of our missile potential and arsenal are nothing but erroneous words," he said.

Hezbollah leaders, he added, had "not been touched" by Israeli attacks.

The BBC's Middle East editor, Jeremy Bowen, says Sheikh Nasrallah's comments present another obstacle to a diplomatic solution to the crisis in the region.

Meanwhile, the evacuation of foreign nationals from Lebanon continues, with thousands more expected to arrive in Cyprus on Friday.

About 1,300 British nationals have arrived in Cyprus after being evacuated on a Royal Navy ship, HMS Bulwark.

And about 1,000 US citizens have also disembarked there from the USS Nashville after being rescued by US marines on Thursday.