The number of people killed in Lebanon during months of fighting between Hezbollah and Israel has surpassed 3,000, according to officials from Lebanon's Health Ministry, underlining the growing human toll of a conflict that continues despite a fragile ceasefire.
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The ministry said on Monday that 3,020 people have been killed by Israeli strikes since hostilities escalated in early March.
Conflict escalates in March
Lebanon was drawn into the conflict on 2 March after Hezbollah, the Iran-backed armed group, launched rockets toward Israel. The attack came after an Israeli strike that killed Ali Khamenei.
Since then, the confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah has involved air strikes, drone attacks and ground combat along the border area.
The latest death toll marks a significant milestone in the conflict, which has continued to cause casualties on both sides.
Ceasefire under strain
Lebanon and Israel agreed on Friday to extend a ceasefire by 45 days, with negotiations between the two sides expected to resume at the beginning of June.
However, officials say violence has persisted. According to the health ministry, more than 400 people have been killed since the ceasefire first took effect on 17 April.
The truce, brokered by the United States, permits Israel to conduct strikes it says are aimed at countering Hezbollah’s military activity.
Lebanese authorities have criticised the continued attacks, saying they weaken efforts by the state to assert exclusive control over weapons held by armed groups.
Ongoing attacks and casualties
Israeli strikes have continued across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley since the ceasefire extension was announced.
On Saturday, Israeli forces carried out a wide series of air strikes targeting more than two dozen villages. Reports said evacuation warnings were issued for only nine of the locations beforehand.
Later that day, Hezbollah said its fighters had targeted the Yaara barracks in northern Israel using what it described as a swarm of attack drones. The group also reported several operations against Israeli troops in southern Lebanon.
Israel’s military said a soldier was killed in fighting on Saturday. The death brought the number of Israeli troops killed since early March to 20. Four Israeli civilians have also died during the same period.
Israeli ground forces continue to hold a strip of territory extending roughly 10km (six miles) inside Lebanon from the border. The area was seized during the course of the conflict and remains under Israeli control.
Despite the extension of the ceasefire and ongoing diplomatic efforts, continued strikes and clashes indicate that the truce remains fragile as both sides prepare for further negotiations next month.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 19 May 2026
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