CAIRO Ñ Egypt has warned the United States that the Israeli military offensive against the Palestinian Authority could spread into a confrontation with the Arab world.

The warning came as Egyptian defense chiefs asserted that the military is prepared for any slide into regional war.

Egyptian diplomats and government-aligned analysts said President Hosni Mubarak has told Washington it will not tolerate the Israeli destruction of the regime of PA Chairman Yasser Arafat. The diplomats said Mubarak has repeatedly pledged to Arafat that the Egyptian president would preserve the PA.

Mubarak spoke by telephone with Bush on Thursday and called for an end to the Israeli military campaign. Earlier, Mubarak warned in an interview with the Beirut-based A-Safir that Israel would be the main victim of any regional conflict.

At the same time, Egypt's defense chiefs said the nation is prepared for war. "The recent developments require the Egyptian armed forces to preserve a high level of preparedness and readiness to confront any challenge and threat," Egyptian Defense Minister Hussein Tantawi said.

Analysts said Egypt has bolstered its military to prepare for any contingency. They said the Egyptian strategy is to respond rapidly to any Israeli attack that could threaten the Sinai Peninsula.

Maj. Gen. Ahmed Abdul Halim, deputy director of the Middle East Studies Center, said Egypt has changed its defense concepts to ensure protection of both the Sinai as well as strategic installations west of the country. This includes the High Dam.

"Egyptian policies center on peace as a strategic choice, which depends on the practices of the other side," Abdul Halim said. "Sinai is very effective in Egyptian national security which starts in Palestinian territories."

On Thursday, Maher held talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders Maher, whose talks with Israel was marked with disagreement, said his mission was to save the region from sliding toward war.

"We have expressed our opinion that these [Israeli military] actions are certainly not helpful, that we have to get the parties to talk, and in order to help the parties to talk we have to break the cycle of violence," Maher said.

An Arab ministerial committee will hold an emergency meeting in Cairo on Sunday to discuss the Israeli military strikes on the PA. Jordan has requested the meeting.

Arab League secretary-general Amr Mussa warned that any Israeli attack on the Palestinian leadership spark a counteroffensive. Mussa said PA Chairman Yasser Arafat has the right to attack Israel.

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