Visiting Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit, at a media availability with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Tuesday, called for immediate cease-fire between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah.

"A cease-fire 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," Gheit said.

For her part, Rice agreed that there should be a cease-fire as soon as possible, but conditions for a cease-fire must be "conducive."

"We all agree it should happen as soon as possible, when conditions are conducive to do so," Rice said.

Days of conflicts between Israel and Hezbollah have claimed lives of dozens and wounded hundreds. The United States has blamed Hezbollah for staring the conflicts by kidnapping Israeli soldiers.

Meanwhile, the United States has defended Israel's military action against the Lebanese Hezbollah by claiming that Israel has the right to defend itself against terrorist attacks, although it has also urged Israel to avoid civilian casualties and infrastructure damage.