The Israeli security cabinet voted early today to expand a ground operation in southern Lebanon.

 

The political-security cabinet approved in the wee hours on Tuesday morning an expansion of Israel's ground operation in southern Lebanon.

 

The cabinet voted unanimously, with one abstention, in favor of a plan, which calls for mounting strikes on Lebanese villages affiliated with Hezbollah guerillas.

 

The plan was presented to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert last Saturday during meetings held with Defense Minister Amir Peretz and defense establishment officials.

 

Olmert said Monday evening in Tel Aviv that there would be no ceasefire in the coming days, and the ongoing offensives in southern Lebanon would only end when rockets fired by Hezbollah cease and two captured Israeli soldiers are released.

 

Peretz also told the parliament yesterday that Israel must not agree to an immediate ceasefire, and the army would expand and strengthen its attacks against Hezbollah.

 

More than 700 Lebanese, most of them civilians, and more than 50 Israelis have been killed since Israel launched attacks on Lebanese Hezbollah on July 12 in retaliation for the Shiite group's abduction of two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid.

 

(Xinhua News Agency August 1, 2006)