"Israel is seeking to create tension and undermine the Lebanese government's efforts to ensure calm, stability and sovereignty of law," Salloukh told reporters Thursday. His disclosure was highlighted by the Beirut press Friday.

He said he had instructed Lebanon's U.N. mission in New York to submit a letter of protest to the U.N. Secretary General and members of the Security Council.

The letter asks the United Nations to make Israel stop "its deliberate violations and infringement of Lebanese sovereignty," he said. But he stopped short of demanding a Security Council debate of the issue.

Salloukh spoke after meeting with Geir Pederson, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan's representative in Lebanon, who said he was deeply concerned about Israeli overflights.

Pederson issued a statement saying that five Israeli overflights were recorded in south Lebanon on Wednesday. Lebanese security officials confirmed the flights.

The Lebanese Army said Wednesday that two Israeli gunboats entered Lebanese waters near the southern port city of Sidon. They were accompanied by Israeli helicopters.

"I reiterated the U.N. demand that these overflights have to stop," Pederson told reporters after meeting Salloukh.

"We can't play with the stability along the Blue Line," Pederson said of the Israeli-Lebanese border demarcated by U.N. cartographers after Israel ended its 18-year occupation of parts of southern Lebanon in 2000.

"It's important that all sides respect the Blue Line, and that we don't violate the Blue Line," Pederson added.

Israeli warplanes frequently violate Lebanese airspace on reconnaissance missions, drawing anti-aircraft fire from the Lebanese army and Hezbollah.

Since the start of the week, there have been a number of violations of Lebanese airspace, and the United Nations has called on Israel to cease these violations and to respect Lebanon's independence.

"The Israeli aircraft did not just cross the borders but are also using sonic bombs, forcing the population in many locations to leave their homes and spend the night in air raid shelters," said Lebanese army sources.

The sonic bombs create shockwaves that have a devastating effect on the mental health of children. "If we grown-ups are frightened, what can you say about them [the children]?" A resident said.
Further more according to hospital reports Sonic bombs and overflights increased the number of miscarriages by 40%.
According to The Guardian newspaper "the number of patients admitted to the cardiac care units doubled. Some of them proved to have suffered serious harm."

"There are also reported violations at sea: Israeli speed boats have been seen over recent days off the coast from the Rashidiyye camp" they added.

Lebanon's prime minister Fouad Siniora spoke by telephone with the US and French ambassadors on Thursday, the second such call in 24 hours, warning that "the Israeli provocation could turn southern Lebanon into a tinder box for the Middle East. ... We refuse and condemn any acts that undermine the sovereignty and independence of Lebanon," Siniora said, adding that he contacted the special representative of the U.N. secretary general in south Lebanon, Geir Pedersen, to lodge a strongly worded complaint.

Political observers raised questions about Israel's unprovoked move, which comes at a time when Hezbollah appears to be keeping a low profile.

Many political observers also believe the US should put pressure on Israel to change its behavior towards Lebanon. Lebanese government under the leadership of Siniora is engaged in a dialogue with Hezbollah and the Palestinian militias regarding disarming. Israeli provocations undermine Siniora's government and could spark more tension in the region. "Israel this time cannot claim it is acting in self defense. On the contrary, it s abusing the use of US supplied arms" one observer said

The U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, has protested to the Israeli army about the air violations in the last few days, UNIFIL spokesman Milos Strugar said Thursday.

Sources: Agencies, Ya Libnan