Crisis in the Middle East -- early morning update

Israeli warplanes make 80 strikes in early morning

SUNDAY NOON Israel/Lebanon: Intense fighting on Israeli/Lebanese border, barrage of rockets hitting Israel (average 150 or more a day)

Hizb'Allah goal: strike fear in the Israeli population by striking at as many civilian targets as possible.

Rocket lands in midst of Israeli reservists, scene of carnage, at least 10 dead in early reports.

Fighting Escalates as U.N. Cease-Fire Looms 

AP A Beirut man salvages belongings after an Israeli airstrike.

Hezbollah: No cease-fire if Israeli troops remain in Lebanon Fighting in Lebanon up sharply as both Israel and Hezbollah seek to inflict maximum damage; unclear if either side would abide by U.N. peace resolution Related Stories • Israel Arrests Palestinian Parliament Speaker in Gaza Offensive • Bush Happy With U.N. Cease-Fire Draft Resolution • Blair Welcomes U.N. Draft Deal Video  • U.S., France Agree on Draft   • Israeli Helicopters Blast Tyre

Crisis Map

LATEST FLASHPOINTS: 4-5 AUGUST       

Israel has targeted road bridges north of Beirut

SATURDAY 5 AUGUST

Israeli commandos clash with Hezbollah fighters in a raid on an apartment the city of Tyre from where Israel said long-range missile had been launched hours earlier. Eight Israeli soldiers are hurt and several militants killed

Hezbollah says it fired more missile at Haifa in retaliation for the Tyre raid, wounding at least five people

An Israeli soldier is killed after coming under Hezbollah mortar fire in the eastern village of Taibe

FRIDAY 4 AUGUST

Israeli air strikes damage bridges along a highway providing a key aid route into Lebanon, from Arida on the Syrian border

More than 20 people - thought to be farm workers - are killed in an Israeli air strike near the village of Qaa, in north eastern Lebanon near the border with Syria

Two Israeli civilians die in the village of Mughar and in Kiryat Shmona as Hezbollah rocket attacks continue - at one point more than 40 are fired in half an hour

At least five people are killed in Israeli air raids on bridges over the main road heading north of the Lebanese capital to Syria, with other air strikes on the town of Jounieh north of Beirut and the suburb of Ouzai in the south of the capital

Two Israeli soldiers are killed amid continuing clashes in southern Lebanon, including around or near Markaba, Ait al-Shaab and Naquora

Israeli warships shell the southern Beirut suburbs of Haret Hreik and Roweiss

UNITED NATIONS - Following is the text of a draft UN resolution on the Middle East conflict negotiated by the United States and France and presented to the full 15-nation Security Council Saturday. (H/T Belmont Club)

The Security Council

PP1. Recalling all its previous resolutions on Lebanon, in particular   resolutions 425 (1978), 426 (1978), 520 (1982), 1559 (2004), 1655 (2006) and 1680 (2006), as well as the statements of its President on the situation in   Lebanon, in particular the statements of 18 June 2000(S/PRST/2000/21), of 19 October 2004 (S/PRST/2004/36), of 4 May 2005 (S/PRST/2005/17) of 23 January 2006 (S/PRST/2006/3) and of 30 July 2006(S/PRST/2006/35), Advertisement

PP2. Expressing its utmost concern at the continuing escalation of   hostilities in Lebanon and in Israel since Hezbollah's attack on Israel on 12   July 2006, which has already caused hundreds of deaths and injuries on both sides, extensive damage to civilian infrastructure and hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons,

PP3. Emphasizing the need for an end of violence, but at the same time   emphasizing the need to address urgently the causes that have given rise to the current crisis, including by the unconditional release of the abducted   Israeli soldiers,

PP4: Mindful of the sensitivity of the issue of prisoners and encouraging   the efforts aimed at settling the issue of the Lebanese prisoners detained in   Israel,

OP1. Calls for a full cessation of hostilities based upon, in particular,   the immediate cessation by Hezbollah of all attacks and the immediate cessation by Israel of all offensive military operations;

OP2. Reiterates its strong support for full respect for the Blue Line

OP3. Also reiterates its strong support for the territorial integrity,   sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon within its internationally   recognized borders, as contemplated by the Israeli-Lebanese General Armistice Agreement of 23 March 1949;

OP4. Calls on the international community to take immediate steps to extend   its financial and humanitarian assistance to the Lebanese people, including   through facilitating the safe return of displaced persons and, under the   authority of the Government of Lebanon, reopening airports and harbours for   verifiably and purely civilian purposes, and calls on it also to consider further assistance in the future to contribute to the reconstruction and   development of Lebanon;

OP5. Emphasizes the importance of the extension of the control of the   Government of Lebanon over all Lebanese territory in accordance with the   provisions of resolution 1559 (2004) and resolution 1680 (2006), and of the   relevant provisions of the Taif Accords, for it to exercise its full sovereignty and authority;

OP6. Calls for Israel and Lebanon to support a permanent ceasefire and a   long-term solution based on the following principles and elements:- strict   respect by all parties for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Israel   and Lebanon;- full respect for the Blue Line by both parties;- delineation of   the international borders of Lebanon, especially in those areas where the   border is disputed or uncertain, including in the Shebaa farms area;- security arrangements to prevent the resumption of hostilities, including the   establishment between the Blue Line and the Litani river of an area free of   any armed personnel, assets and weapons other than those of the Lebanese armed   and security forces and of UN mandated international forces deployed in this area;- full implementation of the relevant provisions of the Taif Accords and of resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1680 (2006) that require the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon, so that, pursuant to the Lebanese cabinet decision of July 27, 2006, there will be no weapons or authority in Lebanon other than that of the Lebanese state;- deployment of an international force in Lebanon, consistent with paragraph 10 below;- establishment of an international embargo on the sale or supply of arms and related material to Lebanon except as authorized by its government;- elimination of foreign forces in Lebanon without the consent of its government;- provision to the United Nations of remaining maps of land mines in Lebanon in Israel's possession;

OP7: Invites the Secretary General to support efforts to secure agreements   in principle from the Government of Lebanon and the Government of Israel to   the principles and elements for a long-term solution as set forth in paragraph 6 above;

OP8: Requests the Secretary General to develop, in liaison with key   international actors and the concerned parties, proposals to implement the   relevant provisions of the Taif Accords, and of resolutions 1559 (2004) and   1680 (2006), including disarmament, and for delineation of the international   borders of Lebanon, especially in those areas where the border is disputed or uncertain, including by dealing with the Shebaa farms, and to present those   proposals to the Security Council within thirty days;

OP9. Calls on all parties to cooperate during this period with the Security   Council and to refrain from any action contrary to paragraph 1 above that   might adversely affect the search for a long-term solution, humanitarian   access to civilian populations, or the safe return of displaced persons, and   requests the Secretary General to keep the Council informed in this regard;

OP10. Expresses its intention, upon confirmation to the Security Council that the Government of Lebanon and the Government of Israel have agreed in principle to the principles and elements for a long-term solution as set forth   in paragraph 6 above, and subject to their approval, to authorize in a further resolution under Chapter VII of the Charter the deployment of a UN mandated international force to support the Lebanese armed forces and government in providing a secure environment and contribute to the implementation of a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution;

OP11. Requests UNIFIL, upon cessation of hostilities, to monitor its   implementation and to extend its assistance to help ensure humanitarian access   to civilian populations and the safe return of displaced persons;

OP12. Calls upon the Government of Lebanon to ensure arms or related   materiel are not imported into Lebanon without its consent and requests UNIFIL, conditions permitting, to assist the Government of Lebanon at its request;

OP13. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Council within one   week on the implementation of this resolution and to provide any relevant   information in light of the Council's intention to adopt, consistent with   paragraph 10 above, a further resolution;

OP14. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter