However there is disagreement on the timing of a proposed ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit have publicly disagreed during a press conference involving both officials at the US State Department.
"A ceasefire is imperative, and we have to keep working to reach that objective. It is imperative. We have to bring it to an end as soon as possible. We should do it now." the Egyptian foreign minister said, as the joint appearance ended.
Ms Rice immediately stated the US position, that a ceasefire was only advisable once the root cause of the fighting - including, in the US view, Hezbollah's aggression - was addressed.
"We all agree it should happen as soon as possible, when conditions are conducive to do so," Ms Rice said.
The US, regarded as Israel’s main ally in the West and a possible peacemaker, is holding off from entering the conflict at this stage.
Ms Rice has declined to set a date for her proposed mission to the Middle East, which the White House confirmed she was planning.
"When it is appropriate and when it is necessary and will be helpful to the situation, I am more than pleased to go to the region," Ms Rice said.
Leaders comment
Lebanon’s Prime Minister Fuad Siniora has accused Israel of "committing massacres against Lebanese civilians and working to destroy everything that allows Lebanon to stay alive".
"The intensifying aggression in this barbaric way proves that Israel has decided to push Lebanon back 50 years," he said.
But Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert defended the relentless bombardment, saying it was aimed at obtaining the release of two Israeli soldiers and the disarmament of Hezbollah in line with an existing UN resolution.
He told visiting UN envoys trying to broker a ceasefire that "Israel will continue the battle against Hezbollah and will continue to strike targets belonging to the group until it obtains the release of its captured soldiers and restores the security of Israeli citizens."
Later, during a surprise visit to Haifa, hours after the city was hit by at least four Hezbollah rockets, Mr Olmert said there was no time limit to Israel's offensive in Lebanon.
Mr Olmert told mayors from the northern region hit by barrages of rockets in recent days that Israel would attack Hezbollah installations in Lebanon until captured Israeli soldiers were released and until the guerrilla group posed no threat.
"We will not end this operation only to be forced to resume it in two months time. We have no time limitations," Mr Olmert said.
UN force
UN chief Kofi Annan will today brief the Security Council on efforts to secure a ceasefire in the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Mr Annan elaborated on his proposal for a stabilisation force after talks with European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana, who was preparing to head back to the region.
If approved by the Security Council, the proposed UN force would be much bigger than the current 2,000-strong UN observer force in southern Lebanon, Mr Annan said.
Mr Annan said he hoped the Security Council would give the new force a mandate "to help stabilise the situation while the government of Lebanon tries to organise itself and ... prepare its army to extend its authority" in the southern part of the country.
Mr Annan also is in constant touch with the UN team led by special political adviser Vijay Nambiar, which has been pushing for a ceasefire in separate talks with Lebanese and Israeli leaders.
Israel is pressing on with its week-long offensive against Hezbollah militants.
The Israeli air and sea blockade on Lebanon followed the capture of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah militants in a deadly raid last Wednesday.
Bush accuses Syria
Meanwhile US President George W Bush has accused Syria of trying to "get back" into Lebanon by supporting Hezbollah and accused Damascus and Iran of inspiring "terror attacks" against Israel.
Mr Bush told reporters that the "root" cause of the conflict must be addressed.
"It can be addressed internationally by making it clear to Syria they've got to stop their support to Hezbollah," he said during a meeting with lawmakers at the White House.
"Syria is trying to get back into Lebanon it looks like to me. We passed United Nations resolution 1559 and finally this young democracy or this democracy became whole by getting Syria out.
"And there are suspicions that the instability created by the Hezbollah attacks will cause some in Lebanon to invite Syria back in."
Mr Bush said the root cause of the instability was "terrorism and terrorist attacks on a democratic country," in apparent reference to Israel.
"Part of those terrorist attacks are inspired by nation-states like Syria and Iran. And in order to be able to deal with this crisis, the world must deal with Hezbollah, with Syria, and to continue to work to isolate Iran," he said.