• Israeli strikes have killed at least 12 people, including children, in southern Lebanon.
• Since the ceasefire, over 380 individuals have reportedly died from ongoing strikes.
• Hezbollah's chief rejected disarmament discussions ahead of US-brokered talks.
• Forced displacements and humanitarian crises escalate with warnings from the Israeli military.
• The conflict has led to more than 2,800 deaths since its initiation in early March.

Recent Israeli air strikes in southern Lebanon have resulted in at least 12 fatalities as ongoing military operations intensify despite a declared ceasefire. Among those killed are **two children**, following drone strikes on vehicles along major highways between Beirut and southern towns such as Jiyeh, Barja, and Sidon. The Lebanese health ministry reported these incidents, emphasizing the severe toll on civilians amid the conflict with Hezbollah, which has escalated since its onset on March 2, 2023, according to SCMP, Al Jazeera, and BBC.

According to Lebanon's Ministry of Health, since the ceasefire began on April 17, at least 380 people have been reported killed, building on a total death toll exceeding 2,896 since March 2. This count reportedly includes over **39 women and 22 children**. Health Minister Rakan Nassereddine condemned the strikes as a "systematic, ongoing attack on civilians," highlighting the impact these hostilities have on the local population, stressing that these numbers reflect ongoing humanitarian crises triggered by the conflict, as noted by SCMP and Al Jazeera.

Hezbollah guerrillas, rejecting US demands for disarmament, have increased their military activities, launching retaliatory drone strikes against Israeli forces occupying territories within southern Lebanon. Hezbollah's leader, Naim Qassem, reaffirmed his commitment to keep fighting, declaring that the group's weapons are "an internal Lebanese matter" and announcing, "We will not abandon the battlefield," ahead of upcoming negotiations facilitated by the US, according to BBC, SCMP, and Al Jazeera.

Moreover, as tensions surge, the Israeli military has issued **evacuation warnings** for several southern Lebanese villages, cautioning residents of imminent strikes and calling for immediate relocation to avoid danger. The continued bombardments and forced displacements have exacerbated the humanitarian situation, leading to widespread insecurity among civilians and worsening the already critical access to healthcare facilities, as locally highlighted by journalists in the region and health officials reflecting on the deteriorating conditions, according to Al Jazeera and BBC.