Israeli jets pounded Hizbollah?s Beirut stronghold and troops battled the guerrillas in the south yesterday while world powers struggled to come up with a plan to stop a war now in its fourth week.

The United States, France and Britain hope for a United Nations Security Council resolution within a week that would call for a truce and perhaps beef up existing UN peacekeepers until a more robust force can be formed, UN officials said.

But diplomatic moves to swiftly end the fighting have been beset by splits between the United States and France, mentioned as leader of the new force, over the timing of a ceasefire.

The airforce launched airstrikes on 70 targets in southern Lebanon and Beirut overnight, an Israeli army spokeswoman said.

Israeli jets bombed a Hizbollah-dominated southern suburb for the first time in days. They also hit a bridge in the northern region of Akkar, the eastern Bekaa Valley and roads near the Syrian border, a Lebanese security source said.

Warplanes also struck dozens of times around the southern town of Nabatiyeh. Israel is also expanding the ground war in southern Lebanon, where some 10,000 troops are fighting Hizbollah guerrillas.

One Israeli soldier was killed and four others wounded near the border village of Aita al-Shaab on Wednesday, the Israeli army confirmed early yesterday. The death brings to 37 the number of Israeli troops killed in 23 days of fighting.

At least 643 people in Lebanon, most of them civilians, and 56 Israelis have been killed in the conflict. The US-based watchdog Human Rights Watch said that the bodies of 28 people killed in an Israeli air strike on the Lebanese village of Qana had been recovered and 13 people were missing. The official Lebanese toll is 54.

In Jerusalem, Prime minister Ehud Olmert said Israel would fight on until an international force reaches south Lebanon ? even though no country has volunteered to send troops in the absence of a truce and a durable ceasefire agreement. Olmert called for an international combat force to implement a UN resolution calling for Hizbollah to be disarmed, saying Israel had already destroyed much of the group?s military power.

But Hizbollah showed it was still a fighting force on Wednesday, launching 231 rockets, the most it had fired in a single day, killing one and wounding 10. The Israeli army said Hizbollah had so far launched 20 rockets yesterday.

No promises

US officials were still upbeat. Asked when a ceasefire could be agreed, White House spokesman Tony Snow said: ?I don?t want to make a promise on it ... but I think it?s safe to say days.?

The United States and France, diplomats said, are rapidly ironing out differences on an initial resolution calling for a truce, a buffer zone and the disarmament of Hizbollah.

But Paris has insisted it would not send troops without a truce and an agreement in principle on the framework for a long-term peace deal by Israel, Hizbollah and the Beirut government. Washington wants a force as soon as fighting stops.

Once fighting ends, talks would begin at the United Nations on a second resolution for a permanent ceasefire all combatants could accept and authorise an international force in the south.

Lin NOUEIHED