The Lebanese Health Ministry has reported that at least 4,246 people have been killed and 12,190 others injured in Israeli attacks across the country since March 2. The figures, released on Saturday, highlight the severe human toll of the escalating conflict between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group.
Casualties include women, children, and healthcare workers
According to the ministry, the casualties include women, children, and healthcare workers. The conflict intensified after Hezbollah launched missile and drone attacks on Israel on March 2, describing the operation as retaliation linked to broader regional developments involving Iran. Israel responded with extensive air and ground operations targeting Hezbollah positions, particularly in southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, and Beirut’s southern suburbs. The fighting has also damaged civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, power stations, and water pumping facilities.
US President Trump criticizes Israel's campaign
Responding to the situation, United States President Donald Trump criticized the scale of Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon. “You do not have to knock down an apartment house every time you’re looking for somebody, because there are a lot of people in those apartment houses, and they’re not all Hezbollah, that I can tell you,” he told reporters at the G7 summit in France.
Ceasefire efforts and negotiations
Multiple ceasefires have been announced since the fighting escalated, but they have repeatedly broken down amid renewed strikes and retaliatory attacks. Negotiations, facilitated by the US and other international partners, are continuing in an effort to secure a more durable ceasefire, including arrangements for southern Lebanon. Lebanese authorities have repeatedly warned that the country’s healthcare system is under severe strain following attacks on civilian areas, medical facilities, and emergency responders.
Preliminary agreement reached in US talks
Under a preliminary agreement reached in the US on Friday after four days of negotiations, Israel is expected to withdraw from two positions in southern Lebanon and hand control of the areas to the Lebanese Armed Forces. According to a senior Israeli official, the US-mediated talks produced a three-way agreement involving Israel, Lebanon, and the United States, intended to lay the groundwork for a broader peace settlement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would withdraw from positions north and south of the Litani River, affecting Israeli-held areas in southern Lebanon. The agreement also includes a process aimed at disarming Hezbollah, a proposal the group has rejected.
