United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan said he is working with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council to deploy an armed force in the Middle East to quell the escalation of the conflict involving Israel, Palestinian militants and Hezbollah fighters.

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, who met with Annan this morning at the Group of Eight summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, said he would support the UN's goal and that such a force was necessary before the violence could be stopped.

“The immediate priority is to create the conditions for a cessation of violence,” Blair told reporters.

“It isn't going to stop now, unless we can create the situation where there can be a cessation. The only way that's going to happen is the deployment of an international force that can stop the bombardment. That is why the input of the United Nations is extremely important.”

The G8 yesterday issued a declaration condemning “extremists” who had triggered violence in the Middle East, calling on Hamas and Hezbollah to cease missile attacks on Israel and for Israel to limit its retaliation. Israeli artillery and warplanes struck at 60 targets in Lebanon through the night in response to a Hezbollah rocket attack on Haifa, Israel's third-biggest city.

“Several countries here are key members of the Security Council,” Annan said. “I expect them to work with us. We are extremely concerned about this situation. We need to find ways of bringing this to a halt. I appeal to all parties to spare civilian life and civilian infrastructure.”