"Today, I'm announcing that America will send more aid to support humanitarian and reconstruction work in Lebanon for a total of more than 230 million dollars," Bush said at a news conference in the White House.

The president said the United States was quick in helping the Lebanese people, and was "acting before the (peacekeeping) force gets in there."

Bush said U.S. personnel had been in the Lebanese capital of Beirut for weeks and had distributed more than half of his administration's 50-million-dollar pledge of disaster relief to the Lebanese people who had lost their homes in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

The conflict, which started on July 12, has left more than 1,000 Lebanese and over 150 Israelis dead.

Bush said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had led the diplomatic efforts to establish humanitarian corridors so that relief convoys could get through, to reopen the Beirut airport for passenger and humanitarian aid flights, and to ensure a steady fuel supply for Lebanese power plants and automobiles.

Bush had directed that 25,000 tons of wheat be delivered in Lebanon in coming weeks, and his pledge of over 230 million dollars would be used to help the Lebanese people rebuild their homes, key bridges and roads, and rehabilitate schools.

In addition, Bush said he had directed that an oil spill response team be sent to assist the Lebanese government in cleaning up an oil slick along Lebanon's coast.

He also said that he would propose a 42-million-dollar package to help train and equip Lebanon's armed forces, and would soon send a presidential delegation of private-sector leaders to Lebanon to explore ways to help the Lebanese people.