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Israel hits Lebanon

for 10th day; diplomats meet

BEIRUT: Israeli air, artillery and naval forces bombarded south Lebanon for a 10th day on Saturday in their "Operation Grapes of Wrath" against Hizbollah guerrillas as diplomatic efforts to end the bloodshed gathered pace.

Despite peace calls and world shock at the slaughter of 101 Lebanese civilians by Israeli shelling on Thursday, Israeli gunboats fired at the main coastal road south of Beirut and aircraft and artillery pounded areas in the deep south.

Pro-Iranian Hizbollah (Party of God) fighters fired Katyusha rockets on northern Israel on Saturday, causing no damage or casualties. The group said in a statement that the rocketing was in line with its pledge to make northern Israeli towns and settlements "hell".

In the three hours up to 9 a.m. (0600 GMT), about 200 Israeli artillery shells were fired into areas east of the southern port of Tyre, according to an official of UNIFIL, the U.N. peacekeeping force in south Lebanon.

Witnesses said Israeli planes launched five raids into the areas east and south of Tyre, 76 km (47 miles) south of Beirut. Helicopters also raided areas in southeastern Lebanon. There was no immediate word on casualties.

Security sources said gunboats shelled a stretch of road just north of the port of Sidon, severely wounding a motorist when a shell hit near his car, which was damaged along with three other cars.

It was the third day of Israeli navy shelling since Israel launched a huge air and artillery bombardment on April 11 to avenge Katyusha rocket attacks on northern Israel by Hizbollah guerrillas.

The bombardment has killed 151 people and injured hundreds. Hizbollah's rockets have hurt 50 Israelis, most lightly, since the fighting began.

US Secretary of State Warren Christopher was due in Damascus on Saturday for talks on the crisis with Syrian leaders and a meeting with the foreign ministers of Russia, France and Italy to make proposals for a ceasefire and coordinate its implementation.

Lebanese officials and Hizbollah leaders played down the prospects of a swift ceasefire.

Speaking in Amsterdam on Friday, Christopher said he believed all parties wanted to restore calm in Lebanon, and he would seek an immediate ceasefire during his trip.

French Foreign Minister Herve de Charette met Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati in Damascus on Saturday.

U.S. President Bill Clinton said he was "somewhat hopeful" of success in reaching a ceasefire, and Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres said a ceasefire was possible during the weekend.

France said on Friday it expected a ceasefire within 24 hours. De Charette said Lebanon and Syria, Beirut's main power broker, had expressed willingness for a rapid ceasefire.

But Iran, which according to Hizbollah finances and arms the movement, called on the Shi'ite Moslem group to keep striking at Israel. In a message to Hizbollah secretary-general Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged the group "to strike blows against them (Israel) until they come to regret their aggression".

"The slightest leniency towards the Zionists will make them bolder and more brutal," Khamenei said.-Reuter