Lebanon's defense minister stated that Israel conducted approximately 3,491 air strikes and 407 controlled demolitions in Lebanon between April 17 and June 7, following a U.S.-brokered ceasefire. The truce has largely stopped attacks on Beirut but not in southern Lebanon, where fighting between Israel and Hezbollah continues.
The ongoing Israeli military actions in Lebanon, even after a ceasefire was announced, highlight the persistent instability in the region and the strain on Lebanon's resources and population. The continued fighting risks further displacement and humanitarian challenges.
Lebanon's defense minister, Michel Menassa, reported that Israel carried out nearly 3,500 air strikes and hundreds of controlled explosions within Lebanon since a U.S.-brokered ceasefire was announced on April 16. The ceasefire, which took effect on April 17, has largely stopped aerial attacks on Beirut but has not ended hostilities in southern Lebanon between Israeli forces and the Iran-backed group Hezbollah.
During a cabinet meeting, Menassa detailed that from April 17 to June 7, Israel conducted 3,491 air strikes, 407 controlled demolitions, and six "razing" operations. These actions have resulted in the complete flattening of some villages in the southernmost part of Lebanon. Statistics on these operations were later published on X by the office of Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.
The ongoing escalation between Iran and Israel has led to further displacement within Lebanon, exacerbating the country's capacity to host families fleeing conflict. Since the war began on March 2, over one million people, representing a fifth of Lebanon's population, have been displaced due to Israeli strikes and evacuation warnings.
The current conflict erupted when Hezbollah launched rockets toward Israel in solidarity with its ally Iran, which was under attack from Israel and the United States. Hezbollah has continued its rocket fire into Israel and has rejected U.S.-mediated negotiations aimed at solidifying the ceasefire into a lasting agreement.
On Sunday, Israel targeted Beirut's southern suburbs in response to Hezbollah's rocket fire on northern Israel. This exchange was followed by Tehran bombing northern Israel, which subsequently retaliated with strikes on various locations within Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump recently commented that ceasefires in the Middle East involve a "more moderate manner" of engagement rather than a complete cessation of hostilities.