The White House announced today, Friday, that the US administration "has no knowledge of prior notification regarding the Israeli attacks on the southern suburb of the Lebanese capital, Beirut." The White House said: "We still believe that a diplomatic solution in the Middle East is the best way forward." The White House "strongly advised Americans not to travel to Lebanon," stressing that it "does not believe that war in Lebanon is inevitable." It stressed that "we do not want escalation and do not want to see the opening of a new front in the Middle East." The Israeli army announced today, Friday, that it had launched raids on the southern suburb of Beirut. Source: National Iraqi News Agency