Although Tony Blair has refused to condemn the attacks, Kim Howells, the Foreign Office minister, criticised Israel for failing to limit its action to “surgical strikes” against Hezbollah. Downing Street refused to reprimand the minister and said Blair would stand by the comments as the British government had “always urged restraint on Israel”.

Howells, on a visit to Beirut, said: “The destruction of the infrastructure, the death of so many children and so many people — these have not been surgical strikes.

“And it’s very, very difficult, I think, to understand the kind of military tactics that have been used. You know, if they’re chasing Hezbollah, then go for Hezbollah. You don’t go for the entire Lebanese nation.”

Howells added, however, that Britain demanding an immediate ceasefire would be a “meaningless gesture”.

It has also emerged that another senior government figure has privately questioned the military action. Lord Grocott, Labour chief whip in the Lords and Blair’s former parliamentary aide, surprised colleagues at Thursday’s cabinet meeting by suggesting that the Israeli bombardment was “disproportionate”.

John Reid, the home secretary, defended Britain’s refusal to call for a ceasefire. He said the United States had more influence over Israel than any other country and was therefore the most likely to be able to reach a solution to the crisis.

William Hague, shadow foreign secretary, says in an article today that Israel’s actions have been disproportionate and the Foreign Office “should not be afraid to say so”.

“Our position in international affairs may often be linked to that of the United States but it does not have to be identical to it,” he says in The Sunday Telegraph.

The government began its final evacuation of Britons from the region yesterday. A chartered ferry was used to transport British evacuees from Lebanon to Cyprus. Two Royal Navy Chinook helicopters airlifted four Europeans who had been injured in south Lebanon.

Despite the evacuation there is concern about those left behind as the conflict escalates. It is estimated that about 15,000 Britons are still in Lebanon.

Before the conflict started there were about 20,000 Britons in Lebanon, about half of whom had dual nationality. To date only about 4,000 have been evacuated. Others have made their own way out via Syria.

Among those believed to have got out yesterday was Nour Afaneh from Islington, north London, who works in Harrods, the London department store, and had been trapped in southern Lebanon. She had travelled to the country to marry Walid Issa, 24.

Her sister Nisreen, 18, said: “We are relieved that she and Walid are both safe. We are looking forward to them coming home.”

As the ship waited to depart yesterday afternoon, Israeli warplanes pounded the communication towers used by Lebanon. Israel said its forces were targeting mobile, television and other communications to prevent “terrorists” communicating with each other and to prevent al-Manar, Hezbollah’s television channel, broadcasting.

A Foreign Office spokesman said that of the 86 Britons who had been caught in southern Lebanon, which would bear the brunt of any initial invasion, only about 10 have not been able to leave.

British embassy officials have been surprised by the number of Britons who have decided to stay.

Rallies against the Israeli military action took place in London and other cities yesterday organised by Muslim groups and the Stop the War Coalition.

Clare Short, the former cabinet minister, accused Britain and the United States yesterday of giving Israel the “green light” to inflict as much damage as it likes on Lebanon.

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