Israeli, Lebanese and Syrian officials are meeting under American and French supervision to discuss the latest escalation of tension in southern Lebanon.

The talks come at the end of a week in which Israeli planes struck Lebanese power stations in retaliation for attacks by Hezbollah guerrillas which killed six Israeli soldiers.

More than twenty Lebanese civilians were injured in the Israeli attacks.

A BBC correspondent in Beirut says the talks are expected to be volatile, with each side accusing the other of breaking pre-agreed rules of engagement drawn up to protect civilians.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service