Israel-Lebanon latest: 50 children among 558 killed in Israeli strikes on Hezbollah as thousands flee south
The death toll in Lebanon has reached 558 including 50 children since Israel launched fresh strikes on Monday, the country’s health minister said.
A fresh wave of strikes began on Tuesday, after Monday saw the deadliest day of strikes in Lebanon in nearly two decades of the conflict.
After almost a year of war against Hamas in Gaza on its southern border, Israel is shifting its focus to the northern frontier, where Hezbollah has been firing rockets into Israel in support of Hamas, also backed by Iran.
The Israeli military said it struck a Hezbollah militant cell and its artillery and tanks hit other Hezbollah targets in the south overnight in the latest round of strikes.
Hezbollah on Tuesday morning said it had attacked several Israeli military targets, including an explosives factory 60 km (37 miles) into Israel.
It comes as thousands were pictured fleeing southern Lebanon in loaded cars, vans and trucks. Highways north were gridlocked. Images also showed scores of civilians sleeping on beaches and walkways after having fled last night.
