Israeli troops push further into Lebanon - UN

BEIRUT, July 30 (Reuters) Israeli troops today pushed further into southern Lebanon and battled with Hizbollah guerrillas after crossing the border and opening a new front, the United Nations said.

''According to our information the IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) is present in the general area of Kafer Kila and Taibe and Deir Mimas,'' a spokesman for peacekeeping force UNIFIL said.

The three villages lie just south of the southern town of Marjayoun. Israel's new incursion is about 25 km northeast from where Hizbollah and the Israeli army have been fighting at Maroun al-Ras.

''Intensive fighting was reported this morning, especially in Taibe,'' he said, adding that the whole area had been hit by heavy shelling from Israel yesterday.

Witnesses and security sources said fighting had died down in Taibe by today afternoon. But the Israeli army said its forces were still there.

''We still have forces operating in the Taibe area,'' an IDF spokesman said, adding that four Israeli soldiers had been wounded there today.

Hizbollah said it had lost three fighters today but did not say where or when. The guerrilla group also said it had killed and wounded a number of Israelis, without giving details.

Israeli forces crossed the border at Metula under cover of artillery fire and air strikes early.

Israel likened the operation to two other major incursions launched as part of an offensive raging since Hizbollah abducted two Israeli soldiers in a July 12 cross-border raid.

UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) said in a statement that five Israeli rockets landed between five and 20 metres (yards) from a UNIFIL position on Saturday, injuring two Indian peacekeepers.

It said a second position at Meiss el Jabal was hit directly by an artillery shell ''causing extensive material damage and the collapse of the ammunition shelter, but no casualties''.

The UN force also said two Israeli soldiers removed and dragged away the protective concertina wiring around its position in the Maroun al-Ras area.

REUTERS SKU PM2104