Israel's Defence Minister Amir Peretz raised the possibility today of a ground offensive into Lebanon in its war against Hizbullah guerrillas firing rockets over the border.
Hizbullah official Hussein Haj-Hassan
"We have no intention of occupying Lebanon, but we also have no intention of retreating from any military measures needed," Mr Peretz told residents during a tour of northern Israel, which has come under a rain of Hizbullah rockets.
Israeli generals have said repeatedly that they do not rule out an offensive into southern Lebanon, from which Israel withdrew in 2000 after a 22-year occupation, but acknowledge any such operation could mean heavy Israeli casualties.
So far, operations at the border have been limited to short raids by special forces with the aim of destroying nearby Hizbullah positions.
Israeli air strikes on Lebanon have killed at least 306 people since the assault was launched after Hizbullah abducted two soldiers in a raid across the border. A total of 29 Israelis have been killed in the war since then.
Lebanese flee from Israeli forces' bombardment towards the north of the country, in the southern village of Ghaziyeh, near the port town of Tyre.
Israel says the war will go on until the Shia group frees the two soldiers and can no longer menace its border.
Israel believes its bombing has destroyed half Hizbullah's military capability, Israel Radio quoted Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz as saying. Hizbullah, which is backed by Syria and Iran, has denied it has been weakened militarily.
"The resistance had only used a small, small part of its strength. Nothing has been destroyed," Hizbullah official Hussein Haj-Hassan told Lebanon's LBC television.
Israeli planes struck mostly at Shia strongholds in the eastern towns of Baalbek and Hermel, the southern Beirut area of Bir al-Abed and several southern villages.
Four civilians were killed in a car near Tyre, but far fewer casualties were reported than on other days of Israeli bombing.
The Israeli army said 30 rockets had landed in northern Israel, but no casualties were reported. It said two soldiers were wounded in clashes with Hizbullah guerrillas on the border.
The Beirut government says the conflict has displaced half a million people and aid agencies say a humanitarian crisis looms.
Amer Daoudi, leader of the UN's World Food Programme
"Damage to roads and bridges has almost completely disrupted the food supply chain, hurting large numbers of the displaced," said Amer Daoudi, leader of the UN's World Food Programme assessment team in Beirut.
Earlier today the European Union announced €10 million in aid on Thursday to help Lebanese fleeing fighting in their country and expressed grave concern over the humanitarian situation in the region.
Leaders of all political groups in the European Parliament issued a statement demanding an immediate ceasefire to allow passage of humanitarian aid and backed the dispatch of a UN intervention force and an immediate start to negotiations.
The president of the European Parliament, Josep Borrell, said leaders of all parties had called for the freeing up of the "maximum" amount of humanitarian aid.
"We must have an immediate ceasefire, a UN force, the freeing of prisoners and the opening of negotiations," he said.
He said the leaders of the political groups had called for negotiations under a UN framework and for a UN force with strong EU participation.
They also called on EU states to speak with "a single voice" on the Middle East situation, he said.
Agencies