PRESIDENT BUSH called yesterday for the urgent deployment of international troops to southern Lebanon to uphold the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas, as problems over assembling a UN force continued to grow.

Mr Bush, who reiterated that he would not send troops to Lebanon, also hinted at the deep frustration in Washington over France’s decision to commit only 200 troops to the force after saying initially that it would lead the peacekeeping mission. “France has had a very close relationship with Lebanon. I would hope they would put more troops in. They understand the region as well as anybody,” the President said.

The US was planning to introduce a new UN resolution on disarming Hezbollah, but John Bolton, the American envoy to the UN, said that this should not hold up the quick deployment of UN peacekeepers.

After France’s refusal to take a robust lead — amid concerns in Paris that the rules of engagement for the mission have not been clearly defined — Italy emerged as the potential leader of a multinational force.

Ehud Olmert, the Israeli Prime Minister, spoke to Romano Prodi, his Italian counterpart, on Sunday and said that he would be happy to see the Italians in charge.

A senior Lebanese official said 2,500 Italian soldiers would join the existing 2,000-strong Unifil contingent.

European Union diplomats will meet tomorrow to consider how many troops the 25 member states will contribute.

Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, also called yesterday for the swift deployment of a UN force, but said that German troops would not go.

Many Germans are sensitive about sending soldiers to the region because, 60 years after the Holocaust, they worry that they might have to shoot at Israelis. Germany is, however, considering sending ships to the region.

Last night, Israeli troops in southern Lebanon killed at least two Hezbollah fighters, but had not violated the ceasefire because the soldiers “acted in legitimate self-defence”, a military spokesman said.

Times Recommends

• Please help: maimed children of war want their lives back
• Cabal seizes diamond riches to buy power
• White House gatecrashers got to the president