Major battle in Falklands

A major sea and air battle erupted off the Falkland Islands Monday as waves of Argentine jets swept in to attack the British battle fleet off the beachhead established by British troops. Some ships were damaged but seven Argentine planes were shot down, the British said.

Britain has now had at least four ships put out of action by Argentine warplanes, but replacement ships arriving recently had kept the task force at full strength.

The Argentine military command said it lost only one combat plane during attacks Sunday on the British forces, and said its forces damaged three British ships in the fighting.

Meanwhile at the United Nations, Panamanian Foreign Minister Jorge Illueca sought nonaligned support Monday for a cease-fire call in the Security Council to stop what he called Britain's ''Hitlerite blitzkrieg'' in the Falklands.