WASHINGTON, July 18: The United States pressed Iran and Syria on Tuesday to exert their influence over Hezbollah guerillas to halt rocket fire into Israel and return two captured soldiers to help end a week-old crisis.

Defending US efforts to quell the conflict, White House spokesman Tony Snow said it was up to Syria and Iran, Hezbollah’s key supporters, to rein in the guerrilla group.

Analysts have said Iran may be using its clout with Hezbollah to show it can hurt US allies and interests if Washington goes ahead with efforts to get U.N. sanctions over Tehran’s nuclear program. “Israel is proceeding in the manner it sees fit to defend itself and its territory,” Mr Snow told reporters. “We’ve got to remember who’s responsible for this — Hezbollah. Hezbollah started this.”

“And Iran and Syria, its backers, ought to be using their influence to get Hezbollah to stop firing rockets and return the soldiers,” Snow added.

He pointed the finger at Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over the crises raging in Lebanon and Gaza.

“The president believes that at this point President Assad is not doing what he can to create stability, which would be to stop housing terrorist organizations and providing safe haven for them and permitting people to conduct terrorist operations or at least planning on his soil,” he said.

Snow reiterated the US appeal for Israel to act with restraint, saying, “We lament the death of innocents, whether they be in Israel or in Lebanon or in Gaza or anywhere else.”—Reuters