The U.N. said it was still seeking details but it believed a missile hit the van as it drove just ahead of its convoy carrying food and other humanitarian aid to the southern port city of Tyre. "What we're hearing is that it was about 20 metres ahead of our convoy, but it is yet to be confirmed," said Robin Lodge, spokesman of the World Food Programme.

"We can't get in touch with our convoy leader because he is out of radio contact. We're trying to get more details." Aid workers have complained that Israeli airstrikes have made them unable to reach the estimated 800,000 to 1 million people displaced by the nearly month-old conflict between Hizbollah fighters and Israel's defence forces.

Source: Reuters