US President George W. Bush on Tuesday called recent developments in the Gaza Strip "troubling" and received assurances from Israel that its forces were not targeting Palestinian homes for destruction.
Reaching out to Jewish-American voters, Bush told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) that Israel "has every right to defend itself from terror."
But echoing earlier warnings from his top national security advisers, Bush told the powerful pro-Israel lobby: "The unfolding violence in the Gaza Strip is troubling and underscores the need for all parties to seize every opportunity for peace."
The comments came after a raid by Israeli forces on the Gaza Strip killed at least 16 Palestinians. The assault on the Rafah refugee camp drew international condemnation because of threats to destroy hundreds of Palestinian homes in the occupied territory.
In response to US concerns, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the Bush administration has been in contact with the Israeli government to "find out more about its plans and (to discuss) the humanitarian impact of their operations."
"The government of Israel has informed us that these operations are aimed at stopping smuggling of arms through tunnels and at preventing the distribution of those arms - not at destroying homes," McClellan said.
Israel told the United States that homes along the southern border with Gaza are being used as havens for snipers firing on Israelis.
"The Israelis told us that they will make every effort to minimise the impact on Palestinians not involved in acts of terrorism or arms smuggling," McClellan said.