Siniora vehemently condemned Israel's continued aggression against the battered country, saying the international community must have been aware that Israel was committing massacres against Lebanese civilians, including children, women and elders.

He said that Israel was acting to destroy "everything that allows Lebanon to stay alive".

He added that the Israeli troops continued its bombing attacks on Tuesday, targeting Lebanon's gas stations, civilian residences, roads, army barracks and posts, food processing mills and vehicles carrying foodstuff.

Also on Tuesday, Lebanese Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh delivered a speech, urging the UN Security Council to take immediate steps to stop the Israeli assaults.

Lebanon maintains that Israel halt its military offensive first, so that the two sides could hold talks on a number of issues, including the exchange of prisoners of war, Salloukh said.

He added that the UN envoys, sent by Secretary General Kofi Annan, had put forward no proposals but only some conceptions, and the problem remained unsolved.

The Israeli assault continued for a seventh day on Tuesday, leaving 220 dead and more than 800 wounded in Lebanon.