As Lebanon shook under a new wave of Israeli air raids on Monday, EU foreign ministers prepared to throw their weight behind efforts to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

The ministers are being briefed by EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, who embarked on an urgent mission to Lebanon on Sunday, as Israeli jets and naval vessels continued to pound the south of the country in Israel's fiercest offensive on its northern neighbor since it launched a full-scale invasion in 1982.

Solana's spokeswoman said the "first task will be to get a ceasefire," but the EU faces an uphill battle, with the United Nations unable to agree and leaders of the world's eight major industrial powers, who met in Russia over the weekend, also struggling to find a common approach.

"We can't just sit here with our arms crossed," said Miguel Angel Moratinos, a former EU envoy to the Middle East. "This circle of violence, which could lead to an irreversible situation, cannot continue."

"Now it is the time for restraint and time for thinking very clearly and deeply about losing control of an already dangerous situation," added Swedish Foreign Minister Jan Eliasson.

The death toll in Lebanon topped 160 people from a six-day offensive launched by Israel after two of its soldiers were captured by members of the Syrian-and Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah. Casualties also mounted in Israel as militants poured rocket fire over the border.

Governments worldwide were attempting Monday to evacuate their nationals from Lebanon, a tricky task as Beirut's airport has been repeatedly bombed. Prime Minister Fuad Siniora has declared Lebanon a "disaster zone" and appealed for urgent international help for a country that was slowly rebuilding after a devastating 15-year civil war and the end of a three-decade Syrian military presence.

Coming together

Leaders of the G8 industrial nations called Sunday for an immediate Middle East ceasefire. Russian President Vladimir Putin, host of the G8 summit, said that leaders wanted a rapid halt to Middle East bloodshed, adding that Moscow was using its contacts in the region to secure the release of two Israeli soldiers captured by Hezbollah militants.

But Putin was sober about the chances for Middle East peace: "So far efforts to bring about a ceasefire have come to nothing. I can't say we can be very optimistic, but I hope reason will prevail."

The two-page G8 statement called on "extremists" to immediately halt their attacks while underlining that it was "critical that Israel, while exercizing the right to defend itself, be mindful of the strategic and humanitarian consequences of its actions."

G8 countries set out four conditions that must be met by all sides: The return of Israeli soldiers in Gaza and Lebanon unharmed; an end to the shelling of Israeli territory; an end to Israeli military operations and the early withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza; the release of arrested Palestinian ministers and parliamentarians.

They also said the United Nations should study the possible deployment of an international security force in the region. The UN Security Council is meeting Monday after failing to produce a resolution on the situation over the past six days.