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At least 19 people have died in Israeli air strikes across southern Lebanon, according to the country's health ministry, as hostilities persist despite a recently extended ceasefire.
Civilian casualties in Deir Qanoun
Ten of the fatalities, including three children and three women, occurred in a single strike on a residential building in the town of Deir Qanoun, the ministry reported. Three others were injured in the attack, among them a young girl.
Broader attacks and injuries
An additional nine people were killed and 29 wounded in separate air strikes targeting the Nabatieh and Tyre districts, the health ministry said. The total death toll from Israeli strikes since the conflict escalated in March now exceeds 3,000, according to Monday's ministry figures.
Ceasefire extension fails to halt violence
The latest bloodshed comes less than a week after the U.S. announced a 45-day extension to a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, with negotiations set to resume in early June. Despite the agreement, both sides have continued exchanging fire, particularly in southern Lebanon.
Military engagements and claims
Israel states its strikes target Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Shia Islamist group, though civilians, including women and children, have frequently been caught in the crossfire. Hezbollah, in turn, has launched rockets and drones into northern Israel and at Israeli troops occupying parts of southern Lebanon.
On Tuesday, the Israeli military confirmed the death of a soldier in a Hezbollah attack in southern Lebanon. The group claimed responsibility for additional assaults, including an attack near the town of Haddatha that reportedly destroyed an Israeli tank. Hezbollah also said it targeted Israeli forces in southern Lebanon and Iron Dome air defense platforms near the northern Israeli border, as reported by Agence France-Presse.
U.S.-brokered agreement and ongoing occupation
The ceasefire, mediated by the U.S., permits Israel to conduct strikes it deems necessary to counter Hezbollah's military activities. Meanwhile, Israeli ground forces remain in control of a roughly 10-kilometer (6-mile) strip of Lebanese territory seized during the conflict.
Response and next steps
The BBC has reached out to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) for comment on the latest strikes. No response had been received at the time of reporting.
