Israel-Hezbollah deadly war deaths exceed 4,000, says Lebanese ministry

The death toll in the latest Israeli strikes on Lebanon has now surpassed 4,000, the country’s health ministry announced on Saturday.

Mediators were scrambling to halt the fighting between Israel and the militant Hezbollah group after a heavy exchange on Friday killed at least 47 people in Lebanon and four Israeli soldiers. An Israeli military official said Hezbollah had fired more than 50 projectiles at Israeli forces in southern Lebanon overnight.

The official spoke anonymously in line with regulations. Israel’s army said it struck dozens of Hezbollah targets and militants in southern Lebanon, including Hezbollah command centres.