An Israeli soldier was killed and another wounded yesterday in a clash with Hizbullah guerrillas amid deepening violence in Israel's south Lebanon occupation zone.
The death brought the toll in the bloodiest week in south Lebanon since an Israeli offensive in April 1996 to 15: one Israeli soldier, a pro-Israeli Lebanese militiaman, six members of Hizbullah and seven Lebanese civilians.
The Lebanese Prime Minister, Mr Rafiq al-Hariri, discussed "Israel's escalation of aggression" with President Hafez al-Assad of Syria in Damascus.
"Israel, by increasing escalation through raids and shelling of Lebanese lands, is seeking to push the situation in the region to a chasm and a state of explosion," Damascus radio said.
Yesterday's attack brought to 13 the number of Israeli soldiers killed in south Lebanon since the beginning of the year.
Earlier, Lebanese security sources said a five-year-old Lebanese girl was hurt when a shell hit an orphanage in the area of Jizzine, outside the occupation zone but controlled by the pro-Israeli South Lebanon Army militia. The Israeli army blamed the attack on "terrorists".