Daijiworld Media Network – Beirut
Beirut, May 19: Lebanon’s health ministry has said that the death toll from Israeli strikes during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has crossed 3,000, highlighting the worsening humanitarian toll despite a fragile ceasefire between the two sides.
According to the ministry, at least 3,020 people have been killed since the conflict escalated in early March, while the number of casualties has continued to rise amid ongoing airstrikes and cross-border attacks.
The latest figures come even after Lebanon and Israel agreed on Friday to extend their ceasefire by 45 days, with negotiations expected to resume in June.
Lebanon was drawn deeper into the conflict on March 2 after Hezbollah launched rockets towards Israel following an Israeli strike that reportedly killed Iran’s supreme leader.
Officials said more than 400 deaths have occurred since the ceasefire came into effect on April 17, with both sides repeatedly accusing each other of violating the truce agreement.
The ceasefire, brokered by the United States, allows Israel to conduct strikes aimed at preventing Hezbollah’s military activities. However, Lebanese authorities have criticised the continued attacks, saying they weaken efforts to restore full state control over weapons and armed groups.
Israeli strikes reportedly continued across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley even after the truce extension announcement, leaving dozens dead in recent days.
On Saturday, Israeli forces carried out a series of strikes targeting more than two dozen villages, though evacuation warnings were reportedly issued only for a few locations.
In response, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for drone attacks targeting the Yaara military barracks in northern Israel. The group also said it had launched multiple operations against Israeli troops operating in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli military confirmed on Saturday that one of its soldiers had been killed during clashes in southern Lebanon, taking the number of Israeli military personnel killed since March to 20. Four Israeli civilians have also reportedly lost their lives in the fighting.
Israeli ground forces continue to hold a strip of territory extending around 10 kilometres from the Lebanese border, an area seized during the conflict.