Hezbollah splits occupation zone

SLA fighters abandoned their tanks and fled by car

Lebanese Hezbollah fighters are reported to have cut Israel's southern occupation zone in two, and are within a few miles of the common border.

The news came after Hezbollah took over several outposts abandoned by Israel's local client militia, the South Lebanon Army (SLA).

Hezbollah arrested "collaborators" left behind in Houla

UN spokesman Timur Gokksel said the so-called security zone had been severed at its narrowest point, leaving large numbers of SLA fighters cut off from supply lines.

An Israeli army spokesman said that as much as one-third of the zone was now out of the control of the Israelis and the SLA, which he said had virtually evaporated from all of its positions in the central and western part of the zone.

I don't recommend to anyone in the area to provoke a response from Israel

Israeli Premier Ehud Barak

Witnesses said two people had been killed when Israeli forces fired on hundreds of civilians marching to Meiss el-Jabal from nearby Houla, one of the villages taken by Hezbollah. Three were wounded in the village of Beit Yahoun.

Earlier, it emerged that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak had ordered his country's troops to be ready to pull out of southern Lebanon as early as 1 June - five weeks ahead of schedule.

Visiting the border town of Zarit, he later warned that severe reprisals would follow any attacks launched at Israeli soldiers or civilians when the full troop pullout does take place.

Joyful reunions

Southern Lebanon has seen emotional scenes in recent days, as Lebanese civilians pour into villages abandoned by the SLA after more than 22 years.

Members of families divided by the occupation have been re-united - some meeting for the first time.

On Monday, Hezbollah fighters and hundreds of civilians entered Houla and other nearby villages, just two kilometres (1.2 miles) north of Israel.

Dozens of SLA members who had manned fortified positions at Houla and nearby Marqaba were earlier reported to have surrendered to their opponents.

There are reports that some militiamen's families, fearing retribution after collaboration with Israel, are gathering on the Israeli border, seeking asylum.

The Hezbollah arrested a number of alleged SLA "collaborators" on arrival in Houla, who it says failed to surrender.

Posts abandoned

The SLA has been steadily pulling out of strategic hilltop villages in advance of Israel's planned complete withdrawal from southern Lebanon.

Villagers offer thanks at their destroyed house in Qantara

The Lebanese resistance has pushed south towards the Israeli border, filling the vacuum left by the retreat.

According to Israeli television, the air force is destroying artillery pieces abandoned by the SLA lest it fall into Hezbollah hands.

Israel has denied bringing the pullout date forward because of escalating violence and fears that its allied militia is disintegrating, but says its army is ready to move out at any time.

I can confirm the chief of staff ordered the army to be ready and prepared for the redeployment as from 1 June

Senior Israeli officer

A high-ranking army officer, quoted by the Reuters news agency, said that Mr Barak had told troops to be ready to move out from 1 June.

"The redeployment will take place between this date and 7 July as the prime minister has instructed," he said.

However, the officer stressed that this did not mean a withdrawal was only days away.

Clashes

Meanwhile, fighting escalated on all fronts on Monday.

Israelis withdrew from positions near Taibeh on Sunday

Hezbollah kept up the pressure, shelling an Israeli early-warning station on the Golan Heights.

Israeli jets launched two air raids in the eastern sector of occupied south Lebanon after the attack.

And Israeli naval vessels have fired on suspected Hezbollah targets.

Residents of northern Israel have been ordered back into bomb shelters amid rising fears the guerrillas will fire Katyusha rockets over the border.

The BBC's Hilary Andersson says it is now clear that the Israeli withdrawal will take place under severe pressure.

Mr Barak called an emergency meeting of his security cabinet on Monday afternoon.