Israel's Lebanon offensive to begin in hours -govt

JERUSALEM, Aug 11 (Reuters) Israel's expanded offensive in Lebanon will begin within hours, a government spokeswoman said today, even as negotiations continued in the United Nations on a cease-fire resolution.

''The wheels will be turning'' already as the army gears up, spokeswoman Miri Regev told CNN, adding that the new incursions against suspected Hizbollah guerrillas positions would begin ''soon, (and) soon is certainly within hours''.

Israeli officials have said military action could be called off if the latest draft UN resolution on ending the more than month-old war in Lebanon falls into line with the Jewish state's demands for Hizbollah to be curbed.

''There is no question whatsoever that the military operation can be stopped at any time,'' Eisen told CNN.

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