Lebanon blames Israel for assassinations

BEIRUT, Lebanon, June 17 (UPI) -- A top Lebanese official blames Israel for recent assassinations and is calling on the U.N. Security Council to address the allegations.

Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh said an intelligence report suggests the Israeli Mossad directed a network of Middle Eastern terrorists who are currently being sought by Lebanese officials, Ha'aretz reports.

Salloukh said he will take the report to the Security Council.

U.S. officials are playing down the claims. Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman said the intelligence was gathered by a Hezbollah group, not Lebanon's intelligence community.

Lebanese Defense Minister Elias Al-Murr said he thinks there's a link between an assassination of two Islamic Jihad commanders by Israeli forces and the techniques used by two of the men wanted by Lebanon.