8 Lebanese killed in Israeli airstrikes

Beirut (Lebanon): Israeli airstrikes left at least eight civilians in Lebanon dead on Sunday as the UN Security Council was expected to continue debate on a cease-fire resolution.

At least five civilians were killed and at least six wounded in airstrikes on the village of Ansar in southern Lebanon on Sunday morning, Lebanon's Internal Security Forces said.

Three people died in an airstrike later Sunday morning in Naqoura and airstrikes were launched on Al Jabal Al Rafeea, Al-Jarmak, Mahmoudiya, Majra Al Letani, El-Qlaileh, Ras el Biyada, Mansouri, Milikiya, Shaitaye, Hosh and areas in Khiyam, Arab-language networks reported. All are in southern Lebanon.

Israeli army confirmed an unspecified number of casualties resulted in the clashes in Ras el Biyada.

A witness on the ground in Tayba said after engaging in an attack in the southern Lebanese town, Israel pulled out 10 tanks and left behind three destroyed ones, Hezbollah-run Al Manar said.

In the southern villages of Miskaf and Odaise, Al Manar reported Hezbollah killed an unspecified number of Israeli soldiers and destroyed their two tanks and two cars.

Early on Sunday, Lebanese officials said Israeli warplanes bombed at least two camps of the Syrian-backed Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command in southeastern Lebanon, The Associated Press reported.

No casualties were reported in either raid.

Sunday's fighting came as the UN Security Council was expected to continue meeting on a draft resolution to halt the 25-day war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The proposal is backed by the US – Israel's strongest ally – and France, which historically has close ties to Lebanon. US Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton on Saturday called the draft a "fusion" of ideas.

He said the plan would put in place "a lasting solution for the problem.

Obviously this resolution alone isn't that solution, but it's the beginning."

"What we all fundamentally want to do is not return to the status quo ante," Bolton said to reporters after a Security Council meeting.

"We want this to be a transformational solution that moves the region beyond the problem that has existed for so many years."

Lebanon Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said, however, that the draft was "not adequate."

Hezbollah quickly responded, too, saying it will agree to a cease-fire only when all Israeli soldiers leave Lebanese land. The draft resolution makes no mention of a withdrawal.

And Sunday, Israel's justice minister, Haim Ramon, said Israel doubted Hezbollah would abide by any resolution if it passed, according to Reuters News Service. Israel will continue its military actions, he said.

It may be several days before the 15-member council votes on the plan to address the violence, which has killed more than 750 people in Lebanon and Israel.

Implementing a peace plan would require cooperation on the ground.

A major sticking point has been Israel's objection to the use of the UN Interim Force In Lebanon to keep the peace.

UNIFIL was created to confirm Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon in 1978. Critics say the force is too weak.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says the United States does not oppose a cease-fire but does not want an agreement that "falls apart practically the minute it's in place" and would then result in a return "to the status quo ante," or the relationship between the two sides before fighting began.