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Lebanon seeks

Egypt help to

stop Israeli attacks

CAIRO: Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri on Sunday urged Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to help stop Israeli air and artillery attacks on Lebanon, which he said were destroying his country.

"Lebanon asked President Mubarak to enter to stop the killing. The killing will scatter civilians and destroy houses and continue the circle of violence without a solution," Hariri told reporters after meeting the Egyptian leader.

"We are trying to explain our position to the international community. We are trying to say what is going on in Lebanon is a vicious circle. It will not lead anywhere," said Hariri, who said he passed on a message from Lebanese President Elias Hrawi to Mubarak.

"It will destroy the infrastructure of the country and displace civilians and we don't see that Hizbollah will be hurt. On the contrary we believe Hizbollah will get stronger. We have to cease fire," he added.

Hariri visited Syria, the main foreign power broker in Lebanon, on Saturday and is due to go on to France.

Israeli planes launched a wave of air raids in south Lebanon on Sunday as Israel's military campaign against Hizbollah guerrillas entered its fourth day.

At least 21 people have been killed and 49 injured since Israel launched its blitz to avenge Katyusha rocket attacks by Hizbollah guerrillas which wounded 40 people in northern Israel last week.

More than 200,000 Lebanese have fled the Israeli attacks and are cramming roads leading north.-Reuter