"We obviously condemn this disproportionate act of war," said Douste-Blazy.

WORLD CAPITALS — Incessant Israeli strikes that have claimed the lives of 52 Lebanese civilians and destroyed the country's infrastructure on Thursday, July 13, drew immediate rebuke from France and Russia, while being defended by Israel's sole ally, the US.

"We obviously condemn this disproportionate act of war," French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said on Europe 1 radio, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

"For several hours, there has been a bombardment of an airport of an entirely sovereign country, a friend of France ... this is a disproportionate act of war."

Israeli warplanes killed earlier Thursday at least 47 Lebanese civilians, mostly children, in separate air strikes, wrecking havoc on Lebanon's infrastructure, including Beirut international airport.

Israel also clamped a land, sea, and air assault on Lebanon after two Israeli soldiers were taken prisoners by the Lebanese resistance group Hizbullah.

Douste-Blazy said the Israeli war has two major consequences.

"The first is to force anyone wanting to now enter Lebanon to go either by sea or by Syria," he said.

"The second consequence is to run the risk of plunging Lebanon back into the worst years of war with the departure of Lebanese who will want to flee while they were in the process of rebuilding their country."

France supported "Lebanon's demand for a referral to the United Nations Security Council as soon as possible", he said, asserting that the risk of a regional war "absolutely" existed.

The Lebanese government on Wednesday, July 12, said it was "ready to negotiate through the United Nations and other friends" to resolve the crisis.

A UN source told AFP that Lebanon asked the United Nations to negotiate a ceasefire, but the request had so far been turned down by Israel.

Disproportionate

Russia also denounced the Israeli onslaughts on Lebanon and the Palestinian territories.

"One cannot justify the continued destruction by Israel of the civilian infrastructure in Lebanon and in Palestinian territory, involving the disproportionate use of force in which the civilian population suffers," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

At least 80 Palestinians were killed and hundreds wounded since Israel launched a wide-scale offensive in Gaza Strip on the pretext of seeking the release of a soldier held by Palestinian groups.

The ministry described the situation as "extremely worrying" and Israel's bombing of Beirut's international airport as "a dangerous step on the road to military escalation."

"We firmly reaffirm support for Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity," the statement said.

Moscow also slammed criticized Hizbullah and Palestinian resistance groups, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of the Israeli soldiers.

Meetings

"Syria needs to be held to account," Bush said.

Earlier, a Russian foreign ministry official said the Mideast Quartet – which groups the EU, Russia, the UN and the US -- were consulting over the Israel-Lebanon conflict.

"The main thing is not to allow the conflict to develop into all-out war between Lebanon and Israel," Sergei Yakovlev said.

He said the UN Security Council could meet on the crisis in the near future.

The Arab League also said Thursday that its foreign ministers will meet in Cairo on Saturday, July 15, to discuss Israeli aggressions on Lebanon and Palestine.

They will discuss a proposal by Yemeni President Ali Abdullah for an emergency Arab summit on the fighting.

The ministers are likely to call for an end to Israeli attacks on civilians and peaceful mediated settlements between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas on the one hand and Israel and Hizbullah on the other, diplomats said.

Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa had telephone calls on Thursday with Lebanese President Emile Lahoud, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, King Abdullah of Jordan and President Bashar al-Assad of Syria.

Self-Defense

US President George W. Bush told a news conference after a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel that Israel had a right to defend itself.

"Secondly, whatever Israel does should not weaken the...government in Lebanon."

Bush joined Israel in blaming Syria for the actions of Hizbullah and Hamas.

"Syria needs to be held to account," he said.

"President (Bashar) Assad needs to show some leadership towards peace."