Israeli warplanes hit TV transmission towers today in Lebanon, knocking the nation’s leading private network off the air and cutting phone links to some regions.

Israeli aircraft and artillery pounded southern Lebanon in the early hours of today, apparently focusing on sectors across the border from where Israel’s army has massed tanks and troops ahead of an announced limited ground operation.

The Israeli military has imposed a naval blockade on Lebanon.

Syria is fighting back hard against the UN inquiry into the killing of a Lebanese politician, touting a witness who now says his testimony against Syrian officials was false. But some in Lebanon say Syria is just manoeuvring to discredit an investigation that could lead to its doorstep.

Israel is to hand over the corpses of three Hezbollah guerrillas killed in this week’s border clashes to Lebanon.

Lebanon is demanding that Israel return the corpses of three Hezbollah guerrillas killed in this week’s border clashes, saying such a move was vital to restore calm to the area.

Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah today denied it was behind the suicide bombing that killed four people in a Tel Aviv night club.