Israel declared Tuesday it was ready to fight Hezbollah guerrillas for several more weeks and possibly send ground forces into Lebanon, raising doubts about international efforts to broker an immediate cease-fire in the fighting that has killed more than 260 people and displaced 500,000.
Despite the diplomatic activity, Israel is in no hurry to end its offensive, which it sees as a unique opportunity to crush Hezbollah. The Islamic militants appear to have steadily built up their military strength after Israel pulled its troops out of southern Lebanon in 2000.
With fighting in its seventh day, Israeli warplanes struck an army base outside Beirut and other areas in south Lebanon, killing 27 people, and Hezbollah rockets battered Israeli towns, killing one Israeli.
Israel's forecast of a lengthy campaign and President Bush's evident reluctance to bring pressure on Israel to agree to a cease-fire seemed to quash any hopes for an early resolution of the crisis, now entering its second week.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-5959736,00.html