Friday, August 18 2006 11:01 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Beirut: Lebanese troops today (Aug 18 ,2006) moved south across the Litani river, reclaiming territory occupied by Israeli forces, to extend Beirut's control over a region that has been dominated by the Hezbollah for decades.

The Lebanese Government has approved the deployment of 15,000 troops in the south and about 6,000 soldiers were moved to the region today. Another 2,000 troops were expected to reach the port city of Tyre, officials said.

Israeli forces were turning the areas south of the Litani river over to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon and the Lebanese troops, Israeli military officials said.



The international airport in Beirut reopened for the first time since July 13, when it was bombed by Israeli jets, with the arrival of a Middle East Airlines jet from Jordan.

The Lebanese army's deployment in areas south of the Litani marked the government's extension of its powers to all parts of the country for the first time since 1969.

Information Minister Ghazi Aridi said there would be no confrontation between the army and brothers in the Hezbollah. The soldiers, he said, were not going to chase or...exact revenge on the Hezbollah militia.

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said the UN peace plan that came into effect on Monday clearly calls for the creation of a Hezbollah-free zone south of the Litani river, and anything less would mean the resolution is not being implemented.

The peace plan calls for the deployment of 30,000 troops an equal number of Lebanese and multi-national forces in southern Lebanon. The Lebanese army hopes to have all 15,000 troops deployed by Friday morning, an official said.