Bush will not tell Israel to halt offensive-W House

ST PETERSBURG, Russia, July 14 (Reuters) US President George W Bush wants Israel to minimise the risk of casualties in its campaign in southern Lebanon, but will not press it to halt its military operation, the White House said today.

White House spokesman Tony Snow told reporters that the US leader spoke by telephone to Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and other West Asian leaders as he sought to defuse a crisis between Israel and Hizbollah guerrillas in Lebanon.

Snow said Bush ''believes the Israelis have the right to protect themselves and that in doing that they should limit as much as possible so-called collateral damage not only to facilities but also to human lives'', Snow said.

Asked whether he agreed to Siniora's request to tell the Israelis to limit their military operations, Snow said: ''No. The president is not going to make military decisions for Israel.'' A senior administration official said Bush also called Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Jordan's King Abdullah as he flew from Germany to Russia, where he was attending a Group of Eight summit.

Israel struck Beirut airport again today and bombed Lebanese roads, power supplies and communication networks in a widening campaign after Hizbollah guerrillas seized two Israeli soldiers and killed eight.

In Beirut, Siniora's office said in a statement that Bush had assured the Lebanese leader he was pressing Israel to ''contain the damage'' to Lebanon and avoid civilian casualties.

Siniora urged Bush to get Israel to halt its attack, agree to a ceasefire and lift a blockade.

On yesterday, Bush said Israel had a right to defend itself from Hizbollah rocket attacks and the abduction of Israeli soldiers.

Snow said that Siniora had suggested a ceasefire.

But the White House spokesman added: ''It is unlikely that either or both parties are going to agree to that at this juncture although we certainly hope that we get to a ceasefire soon and we hope that all work for it.'' The new West Asia crisis will push itsefl onto the agenda of the weekend G8 summit that groups the leaders of the United States, Russia, Japan, Britain, France, Italy and Germany.

''We assume that all sides in conflict should immediately end their military action. That should be the starting point for resolving all other problems,'' Russian President Vladimir Putin said today, speaking to an international group of teenagers.

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