Sgt Shalit was snatched in a cross-border raid by Hamas militants who tunnelled from Gaza into Israel.

BBC: Gilad Shalit swap: Israel names Palestinian prisoners

Washington clearly blames Hezbollah for the crisis, which began when Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers 12 days ago in a cross-border raid.

NPR: Israel Opens Door for International Peace Force

At least 13 Pakistani security troops were killed in a similar cross-border raid by Taliban in the neighbouring Lower Dir district two months ago.

BBC: Afghan militants ambush Pakistan troops in Upper Dir

But he also took charge of the detention of the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who was captured by Gaza-based militants in a cross-border raid in 2006.

BBC: Obituary: Ahmed Jabari, Hamas commander

One possibility is that he did not intend to do any such thing, and that Mr Olmert's robust response to Hizbullah's cross-border raid took Mr Nasrallah by surprise.

ECONOMIST: The crisis in Lebanon, Israel and Palestine: Ending will be harder | The

And on October 1, pirates made another cross-border raid, this time snatching a French woman in her 60s from the holiday home on Manda Island where she lived for part of the year.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

There have been some complaints within the military that the Pakistanis, even before last week's raid, were not doing enough to stop the cross-border attacks.

NPR: Bush Puts New Focus On Bin Laden, Al-Qaida