The leader of Hezbollah defended the decision to bring down Lebanon’s Western-backed government, saying the Shiite militant group did so without resorting to violence and will not be intimidated by world reaction.

Iran’s president taunted arch-enemy Israel from just across the tense border in Lebanon, rallying tens of thousands of Hezbollah supporters as Israeli attack helicopters buzzed nearby.

IRAN’S president said that if the Israelis launch a new war against Lebanon’s Hezbollah, the militant group should retaliate strongly enough to “close their case once and for all”.

Hezbollah will hand over two captured Israeli soldiers in exchange for five Lebanese prisoners in Israel, the militant group’s leader said today.

Heavy fighting broke out between government supporters and opponents in Lebanon’s northern city of Tripoli today.

Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah warned Lebanon not to storm a besieged Palestinian refugee camp, calling instead for a negotiated solution.

Shia worshippers in three Iraqi cities today suffered bombings and ambushes, killing at least 39 people, during the climax of ceremonies marking Ashoura, the holiest day in the Shia calendar.

Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah lashed out at US President George Bush today, telling throngs of Shias in Lebanon, marking their holiest day, that Bush was seeking to spark a civil war in the country.

Sixteen armoured carriers, several hundred combat troops and armed police today ringed Prime Minister Fuad Saniora’s office in unprecedented security measures ahead of a massive protest by Hezbollah and its pro-Syrian allies aimed at ousting the Western-backed leader.

President George Bush said today that Hezbollah guerillas suffered a defeat at the hands of Israel in their month-long war.

Israeli helicopters airlifted hundreds of troops into the Hezbollah heartland and warplanes launched wide-ranging airstrikes today as officials raced to enforce a UN ceasefire and end fierce fighting still raging across southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah said today the militant organisation would abide by the UN ceasefire resolution but would continue fighting as long as Israeli troops remained in southern Lebanon.

Israel and Hezbollah sharply intensified fighting with punishing airstrikes, scores of rocket attacks and brutal ground fighting – an apparent bid to inflict maximum mutual damage in the few days remaining before a draft UN cease-fire resolution takes hold.

Hezbollah’s leader offered for the first time today to stop rocket attacks on northern Israel in return for an end to airstrikes throughout Lebanon.

THOUSANDS of Lebanese limped north to safety yesterday after weeks spent trapped by fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, including the war’s bloodiest ground battle.

ISRAELI air strikes reduced entire apartment buildings to rubble and plunged parts of the Lebanese capital of Beirut into darkness in a ferocious response to a Hezbollah attack.

Israeli warplanes repeatedly blasted Beirut’s southern suburbs today, causing a series of huge blasts, Hezbollah’s Al Manar television reported.

Israeli warplanes renewed attacks on Lebanon early today, targeting bridges and fuel storage tanks and petrol stations in the east and south, security officials said.

Israel blasted the home and office of Hezbollah’s leader in the Lebanese capital of Beirut today – vowing to fight until the guerrilla group was neutralised.

Israeli warplanes have destroyed the building housing the headquarters of Hezbollah guerrillas in south Beirut today, the group’s TV station reported.

THE leader of Hezbollah yesterday hit back at the US over claims Syria and Iran had fuelled protests over cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.

The leader of Hezbollah, under international pressure to disarm, vowed today to fight anyone who tries to take away its weapons – which include more than 12,000 rockets capable of hitting northern Israel.

A SON of the assassinated former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri has launched his campaign to take his father's parliamentary seat.

Hezbollah’s leader yesterday rejected a suggestion by US President George Bush that the militant group disarm and enter the political mainstream, saying the group will never leave Lebanon defenceless.

Lebanese officials said Syrian troops will begin pulling back toward the Syrian border today, as the leader of the Hezbollah militant group called for a demonstration in Beirut to counter weeks of anti-Syrian protests.

Israel today denied it was behind a car bomb attack that killed a long-time Hezbollah fighter outside his southern Beirut home.

A Hezbollah militia leader was killed in a car bomb explosion in a southern Beirut suburb, a spokesman for the Islamic militant group said.

In carefully choreographed moves, airliners carrying swapped prisoners landed almost simultaneously in Israel and Lebanon tonight.

Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a two-stage prisoner exchange, it was announced today.

Hezbollah’s leader today pledged to bring home all prisoners held by Israel and said he expected to hear from a German mediator in the next three days on the proposed swap of prisoners and bodies with the Jewish state.

Israel has agreed in principle to release about 400 Arab prisoners, including at least 200 Palestinians, in a swap with the Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah, a Palestinian source said today.

Hezbollah has offered to release some of the Israeli prisoners it holds to win freedom for Palestinians holed up in the West Bank.