India may withdraw troops from Lebanon

New Delhi: India indicated on Friday that it may withdraw its troops deployed on peacekeeping duty in Lebanon.

This option could be exercised if the situation continues to pose a threat to the safety of Indian troops deployed between Lebanon and Israel.

Three Indian peacekeepers have been injured since hostilities broke out between Israel and the Hezbollah.

Over 600 troops of the Sikh regiment are deployed as part of the UN Interim force in Lebanon for passive peacekeeping.

The Indian Army indicated on Friday that the peacekeeping mandate would have to be strenghtened if the deployment is to be viable.

Meanwhile, Israel has resumed its bombardment of southern Beirut, targeting what it calls Hezbollah sites.

Israeli defense forces carried out some 120 airstrikes, while pressing its ground campaign against Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah responded with a barrage of 160 rockets on northern israel, killing seven Israelis. Thursday was the second deadliest day for Israeli civilians, following the July 16 attack on Haifa that killed eight civilians.

Israeli forces pounded the southern suburbs of Beirut with new airstrikes in the eastern Masnaa area.

Six loud explosions sounded across the Lebanese capital Beirut as Israeli warplanes targeted Hezbollah strongholds in the southern suburbs.

The Israeli army said it had targeted offices of Hezbollah, house of a senior Hezbollah official and a building used by the Palestinian group Hamas in the southern suburbs.

Earlier, Israeli jets dropped leaflets over southern Beirut, warning residents to evacuate certain neighborhoods for their safety.