Israel – Lebanon: Israeli warplanes have bombed targets in Lebanon for a 12th day, while Hezbollah militants fired rockets into northern Israel, killing at least two people.
Israeli police say at least 14 other Israelis were wounded when a barrage of Hezbollah rockets slammed into the northern port city of Haifa today (Sunday).
Meanwhile, Israeli aircraft pounded Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut and the port city of Sidon, to the south. At least three people were hurt in Sidon.
On Saturday, the Israeli army said it ousted Hezbollah militants from the key southern Lebanese village of Maroun al-Ras. General Beni Gantz said Israeli air and ground forces took over the village, a Hezbollah stronghold close to the Israeli-Lebanese border.
Lebanon-Evacuation: United Nations officials say humanitarian chief Jan Egeland arrived in Lebanon today (Sunday) to launch an appeal for millions of dollars in aid to help the half-million civilians displaced by Israel's bombing.
On Saturday, Egeland said 100-million dollars is urgently needed to help avert a humanitarian crisis in Lebanon. He called the situation in southern Lebanon a "very major crisis" with thousands of Lebanese leaving the scene of the worst violence.
Israel dropped leaflets Friday urging civilians to move about 30-kilometers north of the Israeli border.
Iraq: Iraqi police say a car bomb attack in a Shi'ite district of eastern Baghdad has killed at least 33 people and wounded about 65 others.
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Police say the blast happened today (Sunday) in Sadr City, near a busy market. Earlier this month, a car bomb attack in the same area more than 60 people.
Separately, police say a car bomb exploded in the northern city of Kirkuk today, killing at least 20 people and wounding 50 more. The bomb went off in front of a court house.
On Saturday, Iraqi political and religious leaders met to discuss Prime Minister Naouri al-Maliki's national reconciliation plan to end sectarian violence.
Lebanon - Diplomacy: President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will meet today (Sunday) in Washington with senior Saudi diplomats to discuss the continuing violence between Israel and Hezbollah.
After the meeting, Secretary Rice will travel to the Middle East to meet with regional leaders about the best way to resolve the conflict.
The diplomatic efforts will take place ahead of an international meeting in Italy Wednesday to address the escalating violence in Lebanon.
President Bush says Rice will use her trip to make clear that confronting the militant group Hezbollah and its sponsors -- Iran and Syria -- is the key to ending the Lebanese crisis.
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