They came even as families were burying the soldiers, who were killed on Thursday by roadside bombs set by the Iranian-backed Party of God in the buffer strip.

But President Hrawi has encountered resistance from the most powerful Christian force, the 10,000-strong Lebanese Forces, and the Iranian-backed fundamentalist Party of God.

The groups are affiliated with the Iranian-backed Party of God.

The brigades are believed to have received some of their training in Lebanon from the Iranian-backed Party of God militias before sneaking back into the occupied territories.

After the first attack, Israeli warplanes struck bases near the Syrian border of the Iranian-backed Party of God and two guerrilla deaths were reported.

It was not clear who had done the firing, but suspicion focused on the Iranian-backed Party of God, an Islamic group opposed to Arab peace with the Israelis.

He is believed to be alive and in the hands of the Iranian-backed Party of God terrorist organization in southern Lebanon.

An Nahar, a weekly said the Iranian-backed Party of God has "decided to release two American captives as a good-will gesture."

That confrontation is between the Iranian-backed Party of God and the pro-Syrian Amal.

The Iranian-backed Party of God had made similar threats.