Syria's authorities and opposition are accusing each other of being behind yesterday's blasts in Damascus and Aleppo ahead of polls designed to boost the regime's legitimacy.

At least 14 people were killed today when a string of explosions struck a police truck transporting prisoners in a tense area of north-western Syria, the country's state-run news agency and an opposition group said.

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.

Israeli airstrikes pounded south Beirut and border crossings to Syria, killing at least 13 people across Lebanon as ground fighting picked up intensity.

Israel’s heavy overnight bombing of Beirut’s main access road to the north has severed the last major overland route to bring relief supplies into Lebanon, international aid agencies said today.