Rice 'regrets loss of innocent lives' in Lebanon attack

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice today said she was “deeply saddened by the terrible loss of innocent life” in an attack on a village in southern Lebanon.

But she did not call for an immediate ceasefire in the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah militias which saw up to 50 people killed when Israeli missiles hit several homes in the southern Lebanese village of Qana early today.

Rice called Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora earlier to postpone a visit to Beirut later today, saying she had work to do in Jerusalem to end the fighting.

“We are also pushing for an urgent end to the current hostilities, but the views of the parties on how to achieve this are different,” she said.

“We all recognise this kind of warfare is extremely difficult,” Rice said, noting it comes in areas where civilians live. “It unfortunately has awful consequences sometimes.”

“We want a ceasefire as soon as possible,” she added.

The US and Israel are pressing for a settlement that addresses enduring issues between Lebanon and Israel and disables the Hezbollah – not the quick truce favoured by most world leaders.

Rice said she was meeting with Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz when news of the attack came.

“Once again, I was reiterating our strong concern about the impact of Israeli military operations on innocent civilians,” she said.

She said she is working with all parties to try to stop the violence.

“Too many innocent people – Lebanese and Israeli – have suffered. Too many people have lost their lives. Too many families are homeless. and too many children have been killed, injured or are living in fear for their lives.”

“Emotions are understandably running high on all sides,” she said.