Israeli Warplanes Above Lebanese Capital

Some officials told the press Israel was hoping the new eruption of violence on the northern front would be quelled by US pressure on Damascus, the main power broker in Lebanon.

Lebanese

Foreign Minister Jean Obei received the ambassador of China Monday morning and was due to meet with top diplomats from the United States, France, Britain and Russia, officials said.

He will also hold a meeting with UN representative Staffan de Mistura before holding a press conference later in the day, they said.

Israel lodged a complaint with the UN Security Council Saturday against Syria’s support for Hezbollah, while the United States has warned both Beirut and Damascus to restrain the militia.

Syria is the key power broker in its smaller neighbor, Lebanon, where Hezbollah spearheaded the guerrilla war that led to Israel forces withdrawing from the south of the country in 2000.

Beirut replied with an urgent protest to the Security Council on Sunday over Israel’s "aggression, threats and its continuous and provocative violations of the airspace and sovereignty of Lebanon," the foreign ministry said.

Hezbollah said the rocket attack on the Shebaa Farms was to avenge the August 2 death of one of its members in a Beirut car bomb explosion that the group blamed on Israel.