Israeli raid in Lebanon strains UN truce

BEIRUT, Aug 19 (Reuters) Israeli commandos raided a Hizbollah stronghold in the eastern Bekaa Valley today in what Lebanon called a ''naked violation'' of the UN-backed truce that ended Israel's 34-day war with Hizbollah guerrillas.

A senior United Nations envoy in Beirut said the UN was trying to establish what had happened in the dawn raid but added that if media reports of it were true, it would represent a clear breach of the 6-day old truce.

''We had no independent means to verify what has happened,'' envoy Terje Roed-Larsen told Lebanon's LBC television in Beirut.

''But if what has been reported is correct, it is of course a clear violation of the ceasefire.'' Israel said the operation, in which commandos were airlifted into the area by helicopter, was defensive and was designed to disrupt weapons supplies to Hizbollah from Syria and Iran.

It denied it had violated the resolution, which allows it act in self-defence, and accused Hizbollah of doing so by smuggling weapons. The UN's Roed-Larsen said if the Shi'ite Muslim group was found to have smuggled weapons, it would also be a breach of the truce.

Some 16 hours after the raid, details of exactly what happened remained unclear.

Lebanese security sources said Israeli helicopters unloaded two vehicles carrying commandos who headed towards an office of a Hizbollah leader, Sheikh Mohammed Yazbek, in Bodai, 26 km from the Syrian border.

The Israelis were intercepted and withdrew under cover of air strikes, they said.

The sources said three Hizbollah guerrillas were killed in a firefight with the Israelis, although Hizbollah said none of its fighters were killed or hurt.

Israel said it had suffered one dead and two wounded.

Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora described the operation as ''a naked violation of the cessation of hostilities declared by the Security Council'' while the Israelis said it was fully justified.

''Special forces carried out an operation to disrupt terror actions against Israel with an emphasis on the transfer of munitions from Syria and Iran to Hizbollah,'' the army said.

Both Syria and Iran deny arming the group.

Washington, Israel's chief ally, said it had noted the Jewish state's stance.

''The prevention of the resupply of weapons to Hizbollah by Syria and Iran is a key provision of the UN Security Council resolution 1701,'' a White House spokesperson said.

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