At least 54 people have been killed in the past 24 hours as a result of Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon, and another 156 have been injured, the country's health ministry said.
“The total number of civilian deaths since the military escalation began on March 2 exceeds 1,422, with 4,294 injured“, the ministry said in a statement distributed in Lebanon. “The victims of the Israeli airstrikes include 1,203 men, 126 children and 93 women.“
Israel carries out military strikes in Lebanon primarily to neutralize threats from the “Hezbollah“ group and prevent attacks on Israeli territory.
The Israel Defense Forces often carry out “retaliatory strikes“ after rockets or drones are fired from Lebanese territory into northern Israel.
The strikes target command centers, weapons depots, terrorist infrastructure and strategic sites (such as bridges and gas stations) allegedly used by “Hezbollah“ for military purposes.
Israel considers “Hezbollah“ as a primary proxy for Iran and uses military force to limit Iranian arms supplies and the presence of allied forces near its border.
The operations are aimed at pushing “Hezbollah“ fighters away from the border to ensure the safe return of tens of thousands of evacuated Israeli citizens to their homes in the north of the country.
Tensions in the region remain critical, with strikes frequently hitting not only southern Lebanon but also targets in the capital Beirut and the Bekaa Valley.