Lebanese-Israeli border tense

UN officials in south Lebanon fear that the deteriorating situation there could escalate dangerously at a time when regional tensions over the cleric's assassination on Monday are already high.

Two members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC), who were on an operation against Israel, were killed and a third wounded, according to the latest toll, in an attack by Israeli helicopter gunships.

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In a statement on Wednesday, the front said: "One of our commandos on Tuesday night fired several salvoes of rockets against northern Israel ... and while the operation was under way, Israeli aircraft led an attack which killed two of our members." The group said the rockets were launched "in response to the assassination of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin", and vowed to "pursue its resistance actions against Israel".

Israel killed Yassin in a helicopter raid as he left a mosque in Gaza City after dawn prayers.

Just hours later, in the first ripost to his death, the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah bombarded Israeli positions in the disputed Shebaa Farms area, claimed by Lebanon with Syria's consent.