BEIRUT, Lebanon -- Israeli commandos raided a Hezbollah stronghold deep in Lebanon on Saturday, engaging in a fierce gunbattle, and the Lebanese government threatened to halt further troop deployments to protest what U.N. officials called a violation of the six-day-old cease-fire.

Israel said the raid outside the village of Boudai, about 17 miles from the Syrian border, was launched to stop arms-smuggling from Iran and Syria to the militant Shiite fighters. An Israeli officer was killed during the raid, and two soldiers were wounded, one seriously.

There were no signs of further clashes, but the flare-up underlined worries about the fragility of the cease-fire as the U.N. pleaded for nations to send troops to an international force in southern Lebanon that is to separate Israeli and Hezbollah fighters.

The office of Secretary-General Kofi Annan issued a statement later Saturday labeling the operation a violation of the U.N. truce.

A contingent of 49 French soldiers landed in the south Saturday, providing the first reinforcements for the 2,000-strong U.N. peacekeeping mission known as UNIFIL that has been stationed in the region for years. About 200 more were expected next week.

They were the first additions to what is intended to grow into a 15,000-soldier U.N. force to police the truce with an equal number of Lebanese soldiers.

France leads UNIFIL and already had 200 soldiers in Lebanon before the reinforcements.

But with Europe moving slowly to provide more troops, Israel warned it would continue to act on its own to enforce an arms embargo on the Lebanese guerrilla group until the Lebanese army and an expanded U.N. peacekeeping force are in place.

"If the Syrians and Iran continue to arm Hezbollah in violation of the resolution, Israel is entitled to act to defend the principle of the arms embargo," Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said. "Once the Lebanese army and the international forces are active ... then such Israeli activity will become superfluous."

Defense Minister Elias Murr met with U.N. envoy Terje Roed-Larsen and threatened to halt the movement of Lebanese troops into the former war zone in the south if the United Nations did not intervene against Israel. That could deeply damage efforts to deploy a strong U.N. peacekeeping force.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert defended the raid during a phone conversation with Annan, saying it was "intended to prevent the resupply of new weapons and ammunition for Hezbollah," officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly on the issue.

The Israeli leader pointed to the importance of the supervision of the Syrian-Lebanese border as well, they said.

Regev rejected the characterization of the raid as a truce violation, saying the Lebanese army and U.N. peacekeepers must take control of Lebanon's border with Syria to ensure arms don't reach Hezbollah.

The White House declined to criticize the raid, noting that Israel said it acted in reaction to arms smuggling into Lebanon and that the U.N. resolution calls for the prevention of resupplying Hezbollah with weapons.

"The incident underscores the importance of quickly deploying the enhanced UNIFIL," White House spokeswoman Jeanie Mamo said.

The broad outlines of the U.N. cease-fire plan call on Hezbollah to halt all attacks and for Israel to stop offensive operations. It gives Israel the right to respond if attacked, but the commandos were flown in by helicopter, and the raid took place far from Israeli troops in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah, meanwhile, buried 55 fighters Friday and Saturday, security officials said. Israel says it killed hundreds of guerrillas during the war. Hezbollah reported 68 deaths.

IN THE KNOW

Mideast-U.N. force

A U.N. cease-fire resolution has authorized up to 15,000 U.N. peacekeepers. Contributions from European countries so far have been limited:

France said it will add 200 combat engineers to its current 200-member contingent.

Finland said it would send up to 250 peacekeepers, but not until November.

Germany said it would not send troops but will offer naval forces to help patrol the Lebanese coast.

Italy has agreed to send troops but has not said how many.

Spain has not officially offered, but the government has consulted opposition parties on the possibility of sending 700-800 troops.

Bulgaria said it is willing to send troops but has not given a number.

The Netherlands has ruled out sending troops.

Turkey has indicated it will contribute troops but wants to study the force's operating plans and rules of engagement before making a decision.

SOURCE: The Associated Press

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“Capitalism cannot reform itself; it is doomed to self-destruction. No universal selfishness can bring social good to all.” —Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois

ah jeez i thought weve been thru this already? dog poops on your neighbors yard. is this news? Israel is a nation of people who do not abide by any contracts or agreements. what else you do not understand? why you think they have been systematically thrown out of all the nations over the centuries?
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“You can’t keep saying you’re a peace candidate and keep voting to fund the war” – Dennis Kucinich http://kucinich.us/