Beirut  - The Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah movement has condemned the US raid in Syria as a "terrorist crime" that violated Syrian sovereignty, Lebanese media reported said Tuesday.

Hezbollah, in a statement, also urged the Arab League and Arab states to "shoulder their responsibilities because they are threatened by similar attacks," according to Voice of Lebanon radio.

"US occupation and Israeli occupation pose a threat to the region's peace and stability," the statement said.

The Syrian government and Arab leaders in the region have expressed outrage over the purported US helicopter raid Sunday targeting militants in the town of Abu Kamal.

The Syrians said eight innocent civilians, among them children, were killed. Damascus summoned the US and Iraqi envoys to protest against the attack.

US media citing officials on Monday reported that the US military strike in Syria is believed to have killed a top al-Qaeda operative responsible for smuggling of insurgents into Iraq.

The White House has however refused to comment publicly on the matter. (dpa)