Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said Israel is not ready to stop its offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

"The fighting continues. There is no ceasefire and there will not be any ceasefire in the coming days," he said.

 

Mr Olmert apologised "for the pain caused" to Lebanese civilians, but said Hezbollah had suffered a severe blow.

 

Israel and Hezbollah meanwhile continued to trade fire, less than a day after Israel declared a partial halt to air strikes on south Lebanon.

 

Israeli warplanes struck several targets, killing a Lebanese soldier near the city of Tyre. Israel expressed regret over the death, saying it believed the vehicle was carrying a senior Hezbollah official.

 

The Israeli military said the suspension, to allow an inquiry into civilian deaths at Qana, did not prohibit it from continuing to target those who threatened Israeli civilians or troops.

 

Fighting has also continued on the ground in southern Lebanon, with the villages of Taibe, Kila and Adasya coming under Israeli artillery fire.

 

Hezbollah fired two shells which landed on the outskirts of the Israeli border town of Kiryat Shmona, causing no injuries.

 

The Israeli military said Hezbollah also hit an Israeli tank near Taibe, wounding three soldiers.

 

In other developments:

 

 

The UN Security Council extended the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) for one month

 

New York-based group Human Rights Watch accused Israel of committing war crimes by carrying out what it called an indiscriminate bombing campaign in Lebanon

 

Thousands of protesters in the Syrian capital Damascus joined a demonstration against Israel's military offensive, with many declaring their support for Hezbollah

 

Lebanon observed a national day of mourning following the deaths in Qana, with many banks and public buildings closed

'Fighting terrorists'

 

Speaking in Tel Aviv, Mr Olmert said Israel's campaign would continue until it achieved its goals.

 

"We will end it when the threat over our heads is removed, when our kidnapped soldiers return to their homes and when we can live in security," he said.

 

Israel began its offensive in Lebanon after Hezbollah militants captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border attack on 12 July. It is also fighting Palestinian militants in Gaza to secure the release of an Israeli soldier held captive there since 26 June.

 

Mr Olmert said Israel was "not fighting against the Lebanese people. We do not want to topple their government.

 

"We are fighting the terrorists without holding back and we will continue until we have pushed them from our borders."

 

The prime minister's comments came hours after US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the US would seek a UN resolution calling for a ceasefire this week.

 

US President George W Bush meanwhile said on Monday that the UN had to address the "root causes of the problem".

 

"We want there to be a long-lasting peace, one that is sustainable," he said after meeting Cuban-American business leaders in Miami, Florida.

 

'Ghost village'

 

Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz described the 48-hour cessation of air strikes, from 0000 Monday (2100 GMT on Sunday) as a "humanitarian gesture".

 

At least 54 people, many of them children, were killed in Qana on Sunday when the house in which they were sheltering was hit by Israeli war planes - the deadliest such raid since hostilities began.

 

The BBC's Jim Muir in Qana says the scene is one of utter desolation. He says Qana has become a ghost village like many others on the road up from the southern city of Tyre, with women and children now a rare sight.

 

After nearly three weeks of fighting, about 750 people - mainly civilians - have been killed by Israeli action, according to Lebanon's health minister.

 

A total of 51 Israelis, including at least 18 civilians, have also been killed in attacks by Hezbollah.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk

you know.. thinking about this last night.... what does this say about the PM of Israel... here we are (the US) trying to help out and calling a cease fire.. and he turns around and slaps our efforts in the face with this stunt they pulled yesterday morning..... but what happens? Nothing.. we continue to help them out. I am so confused by this...

 

They hit a UN bunker by 'accident'.. and thats it. We never hear about it again... whatsupwitdat??

Its called we are their allies and were not anti-semetic...

Anti-semitic!! Long time no hear.

 

He's back. :rolleyes:

 

AND SPELL IT RIGHT.

Well lets see there are MANY nations doing far worse things then israel is, yet the world only seems to care when the jews do it? why?

 

Lets go back and look at history. The jews have been hated and now they finally have a way to protect themselves since the rest of the world would NEVER do that and they are in the wrong? What do you call that if its not anti-semitic?

 

Go back to before israel was formed, the jews there were under attack from the muslims for no reason, the grand mufti in the early 20's called for war with the jews. since the moment they stepped onto the land they have been attack. no matter where they go they will be attacked, europe-thousands of years of attacks nad murder, they go back to their land and they are attacked again but by the world. sure its not anti-semitic:rolleyes:

allies.. no shit. So why the slap in the face?

Because they know they wont gain anything from a ceasefire.

I still think its a slap in the face to their 'so called' allies... :P

Well where America's concerned Israel can get away with murder. USS Liberty springs to mind.

^ exactly... lol sad isn't it.