Middle Orient News

BEIRUT (Reuters) – Lebanon will need billions of dollars in aid to recover from Israel’s war with Hizbollah, which has ruined many civil installations, hit tourism, forced businesses to close and forced hundreds of thousands to flee.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (Reuters) – Two suicide bombers targeted Afghan and U.S.-led coalition troops in Afghanistan on Monday, amid a wave of such attacks before NATO takes over security in the country’s violent south.

Heavy fighting erupted today as Israeli ground forces pushed further into Lebanon, entering another Hezbollah stronghold, and 10 Israeli soldiers were wounded, the military said.

The Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, meets Tony Blair in London today as violence in Iraq reaches a new crescendo and senior Iraqi officials say the break up of the country is inevitable.

The British Foreign Office ministe Kim Howells yesterday stood by his criticisms of the 12-day bombardment of Lebanon with a warning that Israel had to win the “political battle” as well as confronting Hizbollah militarily.

“Thank you for your courage and steadfastness,” Rice said upon meeting Siniora, according to The Associated Press.

Rice spoke with reporters en route to the Middle East, where she’s expected to meet with Israeli and Lebanese officials Monday.

The crash was an accident not a shootdown, according to an Israel Defense Forces spokesman.

Ms Rice, speaking en route to Israel, said there must be no place for “terrorist groups” like Hezbollah to launch attacks from Lebanese territory.

But, just six years on, Israelis stand almost unanimously behind the decision to wage a new war across the country’s northern border.