Hezbollah fighters battled Israeli commandos who launched a raid near the group's stronghold deep inside Lebanon early Saturday, killing one soldier, in the first large-scale violation of the U.N.-brokered cease-fire between the sides. Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora called the battle outside the eastern town of Baalbek a «flagrant violation» of the cease-fire and said he would take the issue up with U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan. The Associated Press quoted witnesses as saying that Israeli missiles destroyed a bridge during the commando raid _ the first such airstrike since the cease-fire began. But there was no immediate escalation in the fighting, raising hopes for the 6-day-old truce as the United Nations pleaded for nations to contribute to an international peacekeeping force due to patrol southern Lebanon.
