Beirut, Lebanon — The military of Israel said on Friday, April 3, 2026, that it had carried out strikes on more than 3,500 locations across Lebanon since fighting with the Hezbollah began one month earlier.
The conflict expanded on Sunday, March 2, 2026, when Hezbollah, a Lebanon-based armed group backed by Iran, launched rockets into Israel. The group said the attacks were in response to a joint United States and Israeli operation that killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.
Israel responded with extensive air strikes across Lebanon and later began a ground offensive. Okay News reports that Israeli military officials said approximately 1,000 militants had been killed during operations over the past month. According to the military, the strikes targeted “terrorist infrastructure, weapons storage facilities, launch positions, and command and control headquarters” belonging to Hezbollah.
Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health said on Thursday, April 2, 2026, that at least 1,345 people had been killed and 4,040 injured since the fighting started. The ministry said the casualties included 1,129 men, 91 women and 125 children. It also reported that 53 healthcare workers were among those killed.
Hezbollah has not publicly released figures on its own casualties.
Tensions escalated further when Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, warned that Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem would face serious consequences over continued attacks.
“The Hezbollah terrorist organisation you now lead, and its supporters in Lebanon, will bear the full and severe consequences,” Katz said.
The warning followed claims by Hezbollah that it launched several rocket attacks on northern Israel late Wednesday and early Thursday, as Jewish communities in Israel began observing the Passover.
Katz also stated that Israeli forces “will clear Hezbollah and its supporters from southern Lebanon, maintain Israeli security control throughout the Litani area, and dismantle Hezbollah’s military capabilities across Lebanon”.
The escalating violence raises concerns about a wider regional conflict, as diplomatic efforts continue with no immediate ceasefire in sight.
