Beirut  - Lebanon's Prime Minister Fouad Seniora, in a nationally-televised address Saturday, warned that the Shiite movement Hezbollah had decided "to define the fate of Lebanon and the Lebanese."

In his first comment on the clashes between Hezbollah and followers of the ruling majority, Seniora said: "We did not declare war on Hezbollah - they declared the war on us."

The clashes intensified after Hezbollah chief Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah called on the government reverse its decision to launch a probe into a communication network Hezbollah established.

Seniora said the government would not bow to force, but would seek only "dialogue through government institutions - not outside this, or through violence." (dpa)