LONDON - Foreign Secretary David Miliband on Tuesday branded Hezbollah's uprising in Lebanon "completely unacceptable" as he renewed Britain's support for the country's government.

A precarious calm has returned to Lebanon after the army warned it could use force to restore order after six days of sectarian bloodshed between supporters of the Western-backed government and Hezbollah-led opposition fighters.

Miliband said in parliament: "The attempt to disrupt the working of the government of the Lebanon, the full frontal challenge to the government from Hezbollah is completely unacceptable, or should be unacceptable, to the whole of the international community."

Miliband was asked for assurances that military preparations were being made for the evacuation of 5,000 British citizens and their dependants from the troubled state.

He said: "In respect of practical support, that has to be military but also economic and political for the existing government of (Prime Minister) Fuad Siniora.

"I will continue to offer that political support, as I did to him personally on Friday."

US President George W. Bush said Washington would help Siniora by strengthening his armed forces.

The fighting, which has left at least 62 people dead and close to 200 wounded, is the worst sectarian unrest since the 1975-1990 civil war and has stoked fears the country was headed for another all-out conflict.