Fighting on the Israel-Lebanon border and violence at West Bank and Gaza flashpoints echoed today as Palestinian and Israeli leaders met to discuss ending Middle East violence.
The tensions cast a shadow over the end of a three-day peace mission by US Secretary of State Gen Colin Powell. Israel said the seven-day ceasefire period he brokered had yet to start.
In Lisbon, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres met late last night for two-and-a-half hours to discuss how to end the Mideast conflict.
Mr Peres reportedly told Mr Arafat that a US peacemaking plan, which mandates a week of calm leading to a longer cooling-off period that would put the plan into motion, could only be implemented with seven straight days of quiet.
"This train will not leave the station without an end to violence," Mr Peres told Arafat in Lisbon where the two are attending a conference.
Tensions remained high despite Powell's diplomatic efforts. Along with Israeli-Palestinian violence, firing erupted on Israel's northern frontier with Lebanon after more than a month of relative quiet.
One Israeli soldier was wounded in rocket attacks on Israeli positions in the disputed Shebaa Farms region, the Israeli army said.
Witnesses in Lebanon said Israeli planes responded by firing missiles at three posts near the Lebanese border town of Kfar Shouba. They said Israeli artillery shells hit at least four houses on the town's fringes. There were no reports of injuries.