The Lebanese Health Ministry has revealed that at least 4,246 people have been killed and 12,190 others injured in Israeli attacks across the country since 2 March.
The conflict intensified after Hezbollah launched missile and drone attacks on Israel on 2 March, 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.
United States President Donald Trump has criticised 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,
Trump told reporters at the G7 summit in France.
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.
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.
And while the US has been mediating the negotiations, Nigerian observers have noted the complex regional dynamics at play. The conflict involves not just Israel and Hezbollah, but also Iran, which has been accused of backing Hezbollah's military operations.
So far, the human toll of the conflict has been devastating. The 4,246 deaths reported by the Lebanese Health Ministry include women, children, and healthcare workers. The 12,190 injuries have put further pressure on the country's already overwhelmed healthcare system.