BEIRUT, Lebanon: Israeli airstrikes across southern Lebanon killed at least 41 people in the past 24 hours despite a ceasefire in place since April 17, Lebanon’s Ministry of Health said on Saturday.
The ministry said the latest strikes brought total casualties in the past 24 hours to 41, while overall deaths since the start of the latest war on March 2 have reached 2,659, with 8,183 people injured.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA), citing the health ministry, reported multiple strikes across southern towns and villages.
The ministry said three people were killed in an Israeli strike on the town of Shoukine in the Nabatieh district.
Earlier, an Israeli strike on a car in Kfar Dajal killed two people, while three others were killed when a home was hit in Lwaizeh.
Two additional people were killed in a separate strike on Shoukin, the NNA said.
The agency also reported Israeli air raids near al-Saada Bakery close to the al-Quds roundabout in Nabatieh city, as well as strikes on the town of Siddiqine in the Tyre district.
Israel’s military spokeswoman, Lt. Col. Ella Waweya, said on social media platform X that the Israeli air force carried out around 50 strikes over the past 24 hours.
She said the strikes targeted Hezbollah infrastructure and members across southern Lebanon.
Israel has repeatedly said its operations are aimed at Hezbollah positions, although Lebanese officials and UN agencies say a large proportion of casualties have been civilians.
A 10-day ceasefire that began on April 17 was later extended, but hostilities continued despite the agreement.
The ceasefire, which followed weeks of intense fighting, has failed to halt cross-border attacks, with Israeli strikes and Hezbollah operations continuing.
Israel has issued new evacuation warnings for residents of nine villages in southern Lebanon, according to local reports.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah said it carried out attacks on Israeli forces inside southern Lebanon on Saturday, including drone strikes targeting Israeli troop concentrations and military equipment.
The group said it struck gatherings of Israeli soldiers in Bint Jbeil and Hula, as well as military vehicles including a Humvee in Taybeh and a Merkava tank in Rishaf.
It also said it used suicide drones in an attack in the Biyyada area.
The latest conflict between Israel and Hezbollah began on March 2, after Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel.
Since then, Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes and launched ground operations in southern Lebanon, capturing several border towns and villages.
More than one million people in Lebanon have been displaced since the fighting began, according to Lebanese authorities.
