The United States said it could not rule out Russian help to separatists in Ukraine in firing an SA-11 surface-to-air missile that likely downed a Malaysian airliner in eastern Ukraine with 298 people on board.

Russia accused Western powers of "openly groups to take up arms in their fight to unseat President Bashar Assad.

Syrian regime forces shelled two central Damascus districts today before troops backed by tanks swept through to carry out house-to-house raids, killing at least 35 suspected rebels, in a major flare-up of fighting in the Syrian capital, activists said.

The Syrian regime showed a new determination to crush its opponents, vowing to “cleanse” a rebel-held district in the besieged central city of Homs after nearly four weeks of shelling.

Nato warplanes have bombarded targets in Tripoli with more than 20 air strikes around Muammar Gaddafi’s residential compound early today, in what appeared to be the heaviest night of bombing in the Libyan capital since the Western alliance launched its air campaign against his forces.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton today delivered a stinging rebuke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his government’s announcement of new Jewish housing in east Jerusalem, calling it “a deeply negative signal.”

AN EXPLOSION targeted a US embassy vehicle yesterday in northern Beirut, killing at least three Lebanese and injuring an American bystander and a local embassy employee, US and Lebanese officials said.

Hezbollah’s leader has urged his followers to prepare for mass demonstrations to topple the government if it ignored the militant group’s demand to form a national unity coalition.

Israel grabbed strategic high ground in south Lebanon, but delayed a major push northward, as diplomats talked of progress towards agreement on a United Nations ceasefire resolution.

Lebanon’s president has named moderate pro-Syrian lawmaker Najib Mikati as prime minister, breaking a political deadlock and reviving chances for holding parliamentary elections next month.