Across Asia: Lebanon

ON PM wary of Israel

Lebanon's prime minister voiced concern yesterday about "escalating" Israeli war threats, and said his government will support the Shi'ite Muslim group Hezbollah if a new war breaks out with the Jewish state. Saad Hariri's comments come amid heightened tensions in the Middle East following some of the sharpest exchanges in years between Israel and its Arab neighbors.

"Every day we have Israeli warplanes entering Lebanese airspace. This is something that is escalating, and this is something that is really dangerous," he told the BBC.