Lebanon's Siniora says Israeli raid violates truce

BEIRUT, Aug 19 (Reuters) An Israeli commando raid against Hizbollah guerrillas deep inside Lebanon today is a ''naked violation'' of a UN truce between the warring sides, Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said.

''It is a naked violation of the cessation of hostilities declared by the Security Council,'' Siniora told reporters. He said he had protested about the incident to visiting UN envoys who would take up the matter with Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Hizbollah's main ally in government, said he also raised the incident with the envoys.

''If Lebanon had launched a similar act, wouldn't the Security Council have met to impose tough sanctions against it?'' Berri asked, adding that he saw the raid as an attempt by Israel to provoke Hizbollah into retaliation and foil the deployment of the Lebanese army in south Lebanon.

''I'm sure that the resistance (Hizbollah) has enough awareness and realisation of the conspiracy to refrain ... from retaliating ...,'' he said.

Reuters DKA GC1718