Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz vowed yesterday that if diplomatic efforts fail, Israel will use all of the tools to win the war against Lebanese Hezbollah.

Local daily Ha'aretz quoted Peretz as saying that if a ceasefire is reached to end the month-long conflict between Lebanon and Israel, it would have been the success of Israel's military operation.

"We'll see the military operation as having created the diplomatic climate and a new situation," Peretz said.

The Israeli security cabinet Wednesday gave approval in principle to the defense establishment's plan for an expanded ground operation, but delayed its implementation in order to give a chance to the UN Security Council's bid to end the crisis.

The cabinet authorized Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and the defense minister to decide when to launch the operation.

Olmert said that if diplomatic efforts do not achieve Israel's goals, "we must act resolutely, with a strong military force, even at the cost of human life. But if we can achieve our goals through diplomatic moves, it would be irresponsible not to do so."

Meanwhile, battles between Israeli ground troops and Hezbollah guerillas continued Thursday.

According to media reports, eight Israeli soldiers were lightly wounded by an anti-tank missile Thursday afternoon during clashes in the village of Marjayoun in the east of the south Lebanon, a day after the fighting claimed the lives of 15 Israeli reservists.

Israeli warplanes also dropped leaflets over northern Lebanon for the first time on Thursday, warning trucks off the roads in the area after 8 p.m. (GMT 1700).