Key facts
- More than 3,000 people have been killed in Lebanon by Israeli strikes since March 2, according to Lebanon's health ministry.
- The conflict has also resulted in 12,406 wounded, the ministry stated.
- Over 400 deaths have occurred since the ceasefire came into effect on April 17.
- The fighting began after Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel, two days after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran.
- A fragile ceasefire, brokered by the U.S., has been extended by 45 days.
- Israeli troops remain in southern Lebanon, occupying territory about 10km from the border.
The death toll in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon has surpassed 3,000, according to Lebanon's health ministry. As of May 18, 2026, the ministry reported 3,020 killed and 12,406 wounded by Israeli strikes since the fighting escalated on March 2.
The conflict began when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel, two days after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran. Israel subsequently invaded southern Lebanon and conducted airstrikes on various areas, including Beirut, stating its aim was to target Hezbollah's rearmament efforts. Hezbollah, a significant political entity in Lebanon, has resisted pressure to disarm.
Despite a fragile ceasefire brokered by the United States, which began on April 17 and has been extended for 45 days, fighting has continued. More than 400 deaths have occurred since the ceasefire took effect, with repeated violations by both sides. The truce deal allows Israel to conduct strikes it deems necessary to counter Hezbollah's military activity, a move Lebanon has condemned as undermining its efforts to regain exclusive control over weapons.
Israeli troops continue to occupy a strip of territory approximately 10 kilometers (six miles) wide along the Lebanese border. Hezbollah is not participating in the direct talks between Lebanon and Israel, which are focused on a potential security agreement or armistice that would stop short of full normalization, with Lebanon prioritizing Israeli troop withdrawal. The militant Palestinian Islamic Jihad group also reported one of its officials was killed in an Israeli strike near the Syrian border.