President Bush says it is urgent to quickly deploy an international force to Lebanon to maintain the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel.
Mr. Bush says the international community must determine who will lead the force and give it robust rules of engagement as soon as possible.
He says the United States will provide logistical, command and control, and intelligence support. Mr. Bush added the U.S. is expanding its aid to Lebanon to more than 230-million dollars.
In southern Lebanon, Israeli troops clashed with Hezbollah guerrillas Monday evening, with three Hezbollah fighters reported killed.
Meanwhile, Italy's prime minister, Romano Prodi, said Monday that his country is willing to command the expanded U.N. peace-keeping force in southern Lebanon. He spoke after Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert asked Italy to lead the force.
Earlier Monday in Beirut, Qatar's emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani became the first head of state to visit Lebanon since the war broke out. He called the war the first Arab victory against Israel, and said it has improved the chances for peace in the Middle East.
In Israel, senior U.N. diplomats held talks on maintaining the week-long ceasefire and a possible prisoner swap. Hezbollah's capture of two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid last month triggered the month-long conflict.
Mr. Bush says the international community must determine who will lead the force and give it robust rules of engagement as soon as possible.
He says the United States will provide logistical, command and control, and intelligence support. Mr. Bush added the U.S. is expanding its aid to Lebanon to more than 230-million dollars.
In southern Lebanon, Israeli troops clashed with Hezbollah guerrillas Monday evening, with three Hezbollah fighters reported killed.
Meanwhile, Italy's prime minister, Romano Prodi, said Monday that his country is willing to command the expanded U.N. peace-keeping force in southern Lebanon. He spoke after Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert asked Italy to lead the force.
Earlier Monday in Beirut, Qatar's emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani became the first head of state to visit Lebanon since the war broke out. He called the war the first Arab victory against Israel, and said it has improved the chances for peace in the Middle East.
In Israel, senior U.N. diplomats held talks on maintaining the week-long ceasefire and a possible prisoner swap. Hezbollah's capture of two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid last month triggered the month-long conflict.