Washington has warned Damascus against any military intervention in north Lebanon, DEBKAfile website has said.

The warning, according to the Israeli website, was delivered on Sept. 28 by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem during a meeting on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly.

DEBKAfile said that Muallem had also received another warning by Assistant Secretary of State David Welch.

The harsh words from the senior U.S. officials left Muallem with little option but to promise there would be no Syrian incursion, the site said.

It said Syrian officials talking to Western diplomats are now maintaining that Islamic extremists are setting up an "emirate" in northern Lebanon which will jeopardize the stability of the entire region.