Lebanon Defense Minister Accuses Israel of Nearly 3,500 Airstrikes During Ceasefire

(Central News Agency, Beirut, 8th Combined Foreign Reports) Lebanon's Defense Minister, Michel Menassa, said today that since the US announced a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon on April 16, Israel has launched nearly 3,500 airstrikes and hundreds of demolition operations against the country.

According to Reuters, after the US-brokered ceasefire took effect at midnight on April 17, Israeli forces remain deeply stationed in southern Lebanon. While the ceasefire largely halted airstrikes on Beirut and its suburbs, it failed to end the fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

Menassa told a cabinet meeting that from April 17 to June 7, Israel carried out 3,491 airstrikes, 407 demolition operations, and 6 "leveling" operations in southern Lebanon, completely destroying several villages in the narrow southernmost strip of Lebanon.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's office later published the data on social media platform X.

Salam said the recent escalation of conflict between Iran and Israel has caused a new wave of displacement, increasing pressure on Lebanon to shelter displaced families.

Since the war between Israel and the Lebanese Shia Islamic organization Hezbollah began on March 2, one-fifth of Lebanon's population, equivalent to over one million people, have been forced to flee due to Israeli airstrikes and evacuation warnings issued across the country.

Yesterday, Israel carried out airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut in retaliation for Hezbollah's attacks on northern Israel. Iran responded by striking northern Israel, after which Israel counterattacked multiple targets within Iran.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment. (Translator: Gao Fenfen / Editor: Yang Zhaoyan) 1150608