Hezbollah confirms prisoner swap

The leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group has said it will hand over two captured Israeli soldiers in exchange for five Lebanese prisoners.

Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah also said the group would provide information on missing Israeli airman Ron Arad.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said he believes the two soldiers are dead. Hezbollah has not confirmed that.

Their capture triggered Israel's 2006 offensive against Hezbollah. Israeli ministers approved the swap on Sunday.

Sheikh Nasrallah's comments - Hezbollah's first public confirmation of the deal - came as the UK government announced it was putting the group's military wing on its list of banned organisations.