World crude oil prices hovered above 73 dollars Thursday amid concerns over the Middle East.

New York's main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in August, rose 42 cents to close at 73.08 dollars a barrel.

In London, Brent North Sea crude for September delivery fell 18 cents to settle at 73.72 dollars a barrel. The contract hit record 78.18 dollars per barrel in early electronic trading on Monday.

Two Israeli soldiers were killed and six others wounded in clashes with Hezbollah guerrillas just inside south Lebanon Thursday afternoon, the military said.

At least 300 Lebanese, mostly civilians, have been killed in massive Israeli airstrikes since Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas captured two Israeli soldiers and killed eight in a cross-border attack on July 12.

Traders are still concerned about the possibility that Iran's oil exports would halt if the United Nations imposed international sanctions on Teheran for its nuclear activities.

Source: Xinhua