Israeli airstrikes killed at least 13 people in south Lebanon on June 10, according to Lebanese sources cited by Reuters. Since the operations began on March 2, more than 3,700 people have been killed. The Lebanese government's count of those killed reached more than 3,370 by May 31, reported by Reuters. The numbers are difficult to pin down precisely because the conflict is still ongoing.

The number of people forced from their homes is even larger. More than 1.2 million Lebanese have left their homes since March 2, according to Reuters. To put this in perspective: Lebanon's total population is around 5.4 million, so roughly one in five people has been displaced.

Where Israeli Forces Are Moving

Israel has been establishing control over specific zones in south Lebanon. In April, Israeli authorities told people to stay away from a buffer zone near the border, per Reuters. By late May, Israel formally declared a larger area a combat zone and ordered residents to leave.

A major moment came on May 31 when Israeli troops took control of Beaufort Castle, a medieval fortress overlooking the Litani River valley. This castle has been strategically important for centuries — it's been held by various forces, most recently by Hezbollah before the current operations. The fact that Israel captured this fortress is significant because it sits north of the Litani River, a line that international agreements since 2006 said armed groups should not cross.

What This Means for the Future

In 2006, after an earlier conflict, the United Nations created a framework—called Resolution 1701—that was supposed to prevent armed groups from operating south of the Litani River. Israel's current operations, including its control of Beaufort Castle and declared combat zones, go beyond those old boundaries. This raises questions about what any future peace deal might look like.

The human cost is staggering for a small country. Lebanon was already struggling economically before this conflict — it carries enormous government debt and is still rebuilding from a massive explosion in Beirut in 2020. Now it has to absorb 1.2 million displaced people. Schools and hospitals in host cities are overwhelmed. International aid organizations are working to help, but the demand far exceeds what anyone planned for.

Three and a half months in, the airstrikes have not slowed. On a single day in June, 13 people died in south Lebanon. This pattern suggests Israel's operations are still expanding, not winding down. Lebanon's government — which is itself fractured and unstable — must now manage both saving lives and negotiating with Israel and international powers. How quickly both sides come to a ceasefire will determine how much more suffering occurs.