Israel's Olmert orders expansion of ground offensive

JERUSALEM, Aug 11 (Reuters) Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ordered the army to expand its ground offensive into Lebanon today, saying there was a lack of progress in UN talks on a truce, political sources said.

The decision was announced shortly after US and British mbassadors at the United Nations said Security Council members were on the verge of a deal on a resolution aimed at halting the month-long war.

''We said two days ago that we would stop the fire, either militarily or diplomatically,'' an Israeli political source said.

''We see that the ceasefire deal in the UN is not making the required progress, and therefore we have authorised the military action.'' Olmert and his security cabinet on Wednesday approved an expanded ground offensive to the Litani River, 20 km from the Israeli border, to push Hizbollah fighters and rocket launchers back.

The offensive was put on hold to give diplomacy more time.

Israel's UN ambassador, Dan Gillerman, said Israel was still engaged in negotiations over a UN resolution despite Olmert's order.

''The Americans are aware of what we can accept and cannot accept. And I very much hope that in the end of the day there will not be submitted a draft that is unacceptable to us,''Gillerman told Israel's Channel Two television.

REUTERS DKA VC2202