U.N. debates response to Hizbullah strike

In the absence of an agreement, the discussions are scheduled to continue throughout the day.

Meanwhile, the United States condemned the attacks, but also urged restraint by Israel in responding.

"We condemn the Hizbullah attacks conducted along the Blue Line," State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said.

"We have made it very clear to the Lebanese government that they need to control the situation in southern Lebanon," he told reporters at the State Department's daily briefing.

McCormack acknowledged Israel's right to defend itself but called on it to remain calm.

"We urge restraint in taking whatever actions they deem necessary in order to defend themselves so that you do not have an escalation of tensions in the region, in the area," he said.

McCormack said the violence highlighted the need to enforce U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559, which called for the disarmament

of Hizbullah and Palestinian groups in Lebanon, in addition to leading to the pullout of Syrian troops.

Congressmen slam Damascus, Tehran

The House Majority Whip, Republican leader Roy Blunt, also condemned the mortar and rocket attacks, saying that Hizbullah's armed provocation illustrates the need to seize all military and financial support of states provided to the organization and to other terror groups that seek the destruction of Israel.

The Lebanese government must immediately take control of the border and prevent the escalation in violence, a message from Blunt read, stressing that the militias in the region must be dismantled.

Democrat Congressman and member of the Congress Committee on International Relations Tom Lantos accused Iran and Syria of instigating the Hizbullah attack, and said he was amazed by the large-scale operation initiated without provocation from Israel.

Lantos also called on the Lebanese government to fully comply with the U.N. resolution 1559.

AFP contributed to the report