Monday, August 14 2006 12:50 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Tyre(Lebanon): Israel launched an 11th-hour wave of air strikes against Hezbollah as the Shiite fighters unleashed a barrage of rockets just hours before a UN-brokered end to the hostilities was due to take effect.



At least 38 Lebanese civilians and four soldiers were killed by Israeli fire as warplanes kept up their deadly bombing, police and rescue workers said yesterday, while five Israeli soldiers were also killed in action.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ordered the Israeli military to halt fighting at 0430 hrs IST today, six hours ahead of the 1030 IST deadline agreed with the UN, the Haaretz daily said.

The Lebanese cabinet, which includes two Hezbollah representatives, also agreed to respect the accord, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's personal envoy, Geir Pedersen, said after talks with Prime Minister Fuad Siniora.

Earlier yesterday, a Lebanese cabinet meeting on the question of disarming Hezbollah was postponed because the Shiite movement was standing by a refusal to give up its arms, a cabinet minister who declined to be named told sources.

"This is the moment of truth and they do not want to give up their arms. We preferred to accept a delay of themeeting to allow the discussions to continue," the minister had said.

Israel meanwhile urged the world to apply the UN resolution firmly, warning that Hezbollah must be dismantled and the Lebanese army quickly deployed in the south.

"The application of the resolution will depend on the will of the Lebanese government, but especially on the determination of the international community," Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said in Jerusalem.