President Emile Lahoud denounced Monday night's raid as "another violation of Lebanese sovereignty and part of the hostile Israeli practices against Lebanon," an official statement said.

Lahoud also "asked the concerned authorities to lodge a letter of complaint with the United Nations Security Council over the new Israeli aggression."

Officials said Foreign Minister Jean Obeid had instructed Lebanon's ambassador to the United Nations, Sami Kronfol, to send such a letter, complaining of the "new aggression."

Beirut also "reserved the right for Lebanon to request a council meeting if and when it sees fit," one official said.

On Monday, Israeli warplanes bombed suspected positions of a radical Palestinian group in Naameh, 20 kilometres (12 miles) south of the Lebanese capital, without inflicting casualties, according to Palestinian sources.

The raid was in response to an earlier attack that Israel said targeted one of its naval vessels patrolling in Israeli territorial waters.

A spokesman for the UN Interim Forces in Lebanon said an investigation was started after three missiles were fired Monday from an area near the peacekeeping forces' headquarters in the border town of Naqura.

An official of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command said late Monday the warplanes had fired two missiles at disused positions of the radical group.

The PFLP-GC later explained in statement that "as part of a a state terrorism programme practiced by the Zionist entity ... enemy warplanes raided a PFLP-GC medical center in Naameh, which provides medical and social services to the people."

"The savage and hostile raid did not inflict casualties, but left material damage," it said.

The Lebanese army said in a statement that the raid was preceded by Israeli reconnaissance overflights of the same region.

"Then two warplanes flew in circles between Beirut and Damur, and fired two missiles on tunnels in Naameh hills before leaving the area," it said.

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