Israeli strikes kill at least 18 people across southern Lebanon

Lebanon’s Health Ministry says more than 2,000 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since March 2.Israeli strikes have killed at least 18 people across southern Lebanon, as Lebanese authorities reported that the overall death toll from the war that began last month between Israel and Lebanese group Hezbollah has surpassed 2,000.Israeli strikes on a village near Sidon in southern Lebanon killed at least eight people and wounded nine others, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said on Saturday.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Will Israel and Lebanon start ceasefire talks?list 2 of 3At least 14 killed in Israeli air strikes across southern Lebanonlist 3 of 3Hospitals in Beirut struggle to deal with casualties after Israeli attacksend of listEarlier, it said that at least 10 people, including three emergency workers, had been killed in Israeli strikes in the Nabatieh district.In its latest tally, the Health Ministry reported that at least 2,020 people have been killed and 6,436 others wounded since Lebanon was drawn into the US-Israel war on Iran on March 2. Hezbollah launched rocket fire at Israel in support of its backer Iran, sparking massive Israeli strikes and a ground invasion.Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that two Israeli soldiers were wounded during clashes with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon on Saturday.Israel’s Channel 13, citing the military, said the two soldiers from the Paratroopers Brigade sustained moderate injuries from shrapnel during the confrontation.The violence comes as Iran-backed Hezbollah renewed its rejection of direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon aimed at ending the war.President Joseph Aoun’s office said on Friday that officials from Lebanon, Israel and the United States would meet next week in Washington “to discuss declaring a ceasefire and the start date for negotiations between Lebanon and Israel under US auspices”.