BEIRUT, Lebanon: Israeli attacks killed at least 20 people in Lebanon over the past 24 hours, raising the death toll since early March to 2,679, the Lebanese Health Ministry said on Sunday, amid continued violations of a fragile ceasefire.
In a statement, the ministry said 46 people were also injured in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of wounded to 8,229 since March 2.
The latest casualties come despite a temporary ceasefire announced on April 17, which has been repeatedly breached.
Fresh strikes in southern Lebanon
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported that fresh Israeli strikes on Sunday killed at least seven people in southern Lebanon.
Three people were killed in an airstrike on the town of Safad al-Battikh, while another strike near Tyre killed three more, including two Syrians and an Egyptian, the agency said.
A separate drone strike on a motorcycle in the same area killed one person.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry said 13 people were also killed in Israeli strikes on Friday in the south, including in areas where evacuation orders had been issued.
The Israeli military has intensified air and ground operations in Lebanon since March 2, following a cross-border strike by Hezbollah.
Lebanese authorities say the escalation has killed more than 2,600 people and displaced over 1.6 million others.
Israeli military’s evacuation warnings
On Sunday, the Israeli military issued evacuation warnings to residents of more than 10 towns and villages in southern Lebanon, urging them to move at least 1,000 metres away from their homes.
In a statement posted on X, Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee warned civilians to stay away from areas where Hezbollah fighters or infrastructure were present.
The warnings included areas north of the Litani River, beyond the zone where Israeli troops are currently stationed.
Israel said it was carrying out operations in response to what it described as violations of the ceasefire by Hezbollah, adding that anyone near the group’s facilities could be at risk.
The ceasefire, brokered by the United States, was initially announced by President Donald Trump on April 17 for 10 days and later extended by three weeks until May 17.
Under its terms, Israel retains the right to act against what it calls “planned, imminent or ongoing attacks”.
Earlier this week, Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir warned that strikes could extend “beyond the Yellow Line” if threats persisted.
In recent days, Israeli officials said drone attacks had killed two soldiers and an army contractor and wounded dozens more.
