UNITED NATIONS: UN chief Ban Ki-moon urged "maximum restraint" Tuesday after Israeli and Lebanese troops traded deadly fire on their tense border in the worst clash since the 2006 war in southern Lebanon.

Ban, who is on a visit to Japan, said through his spokesman Martin Nesirky that he was "deeply concerned" at the exchange of fire between Lebanese and Israeli forces.

"The Secretary General urges the parties to exercise maximum restraint" and work with the UN in taking steps to consolidate the calm now restored in the area, the spokesman added.

The UN boss urged all parties to maintain the cessation of hostilities and ensure full respect of UN Security Council resolution 1701, which put an end to the 2006 war between the Jewish state and Hezbollah.

Two Lebanese soldiers, a Lebanese journalist and a senior Israeli officer were killed in Tuesday`s border fighting.

Each side blamed the other for sparking the incident, which Lebanon said wounded 15 people. The Lebanese army acknowledged that it had fired first.

The United States and the European Union also urged restraint on both sides.

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah called on his followers not to react but said his powerful Lebanese Shiite movement would not stand idly by in the future.

BDST: 10:31 HRS, August 04, 2010