Special Report: Israel-Lebanon conflicts

    WASHINGTON, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. State Department was investigating whether Israel's use of U.S.-made cluster bombs in Lebanon violated secret agreements between the two allies, The New York Times reported Friday.

    The inquiry was a response to reports that three types of U.S.-made cluster bombs had been found in many areas of south Lebanon and were responsible for civilian casualties, according to the report.

    However, in private, U.S. officials doubt if the inquiry will lead to sanctions against Israel, but the decision to proceed with it may be intended to help the Bush administration ease criticism from Arab governments.

    In addition to investigating the use of U.S.-made weapons in south Lebanon, the State Department has held up a shipment of M-26artillery rockets, a cluster weapon, that Israel sought during the conflict. Enditem