Saudi warns of regional war

Dubai: Saudi Arabia on Tuesday warned of war in the Middle East if Israel continues attacking Lebanon and the Palestinians, in an apparent appeal to the United States to end the fighting, as Arab leaders and the Italian hosts of crisis talks on the war-ravaged nation raised the pressure for an immediate ceasefire.

"Saudi Arabia warns everybody that if the peace option fails because of Israeli arrogance, there will be no other option but war. No one can predict what will happen if things get out of control," state media quoted Saudi King Abdullah as saying ahead of a meeting with Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak on the crisis.

His comments came as Riyadh ordered the transfer of $1 billion (Dh3.67 billion) to Lebanon's central bank to help support its economy. King Abdullah also ordered $500 million (Dh1.8 billion) donation earlier on Tuesday to rebuild Lebanon.

In Rome, Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi said the aim of the crisis talks today was to "stop Israel and Hezbollah fighting now".

Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora who will attend the conference along with Foreign Minister Fawzi Saloukh said "a ceasefire must be reached."

"We are going to attend the conference and we will see what it yields," Saloukh told Gulf News before heading to Rome.

"Our main concern and demand now is to reach a ceasefire. Afterwards, there will be enough room to discuss all issues such as the exchange of POWs and Sheba'a farms," he added.

Ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan also spoke of a "clear Arab stance in Rome demanding an immediate ceasefire," though US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who called the meeting, is not seeking a quick accord.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, while agreeing to allow aid airlifts to Lebanon, vowed to press on with the offensive.

"Israel is determined to carry on the fight against Hezbollah," he said at a press conference with Rice.

Israeli defence minister Amir Peretz meanwhile raised the idea of reviving a security zone, saying Israel will carve out a "zone" in southern Lebanon until either a multinational force is deployed there or Hezbollah fighters are pushed back.

Two weeks into the conflict, Israeli warplanes blasted Beirut yesterday and troops battled Hezbollah fighters on the border.

Israeli forces claimed they had taken the border town of Bint Jbeil, a Hezbollah stronghold, as an Israeli missile killed a family of seven in the village of Nabatyieh.

With additional inputs from AP, AFP & Reuters