Lebanese soldiers yesterday cross the Litani River in the city of Tyre in south Lebanon in line with a United Nations resolution that halted 34 days of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. - Reuters

KHARDALI, Lebanon (Reuters):

Lebanese troops deployed in south Lebanon yesterday, linking up with United Nations peacekeepers to take control of Hezbollah strongholds as Israeli forces pulled back after their 34-day war with the guerrillas.

But plans to quickly send an expanded U.N. force to the region to cement a tenuous truce were dealt a blow when France said it would only contribute a token number of troops.

Hezbollah fighters melted away as Lebanese troops crossed the Litani River, some 20km (13 miles) from the Israeli border, to take over a region the army has not controlled for decades.

Dozens of people lined roads, waving red and white Lebanese flags and throwing rice and flowers in celebration.

"May God protect you," 64-year-old Khadeeja Sheet yelled at the passing soldiers. "We support nobody except for our army."

Resolution ok'd

A U.N.-backed truce halted the fighting on Monday. The Security Council adopted a resolution calling for the Lebanese army and an expanded U.N. force of up to 15,000 troops to be deployed in the south and replace Hezbollah and Israeli forces.

More than 100 Lebanese trucks, troop carriers and jeeps streamed across a makeshift bridge on the Litani to the mainly Christian town of Marjayoun, about eight kilometres from the Israeli border.