Lebanon's prime minister has said only one person was killed in an Israeli air strike that earlier he said had killed more than 40 civilians.

"They thought that the whole building smashed on the heads of 40 people," Fouad Siniora told reporters in Beirut. "Thank God that they have been saved."

Several houses were reported to have been destroyed in the air strike in the southern border village of Houla.

At least 20 people have died in fresh Israeli raids across Lebanon.

Diplomats are battling to find a workable truce amid the violence.

Arab ministers have agreed to back Lebanese demands for changes to a proposed UN resolution on the crisis.


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President Bush said he wanted the resolution passed as soon as possible.

Earlier, Mr Siniora broke down in tears as he told Arab leaders meeting that a "horrific massacre" had taken place in Houla village.

He later backtracked on the death toll, telling a news conference that only one person had died.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5252842.stm