Israel claims it killed 2,000 Hezbollah militants in past year

Israel estimates it has killed 2,000 Hezbollah militants since its military began fighting the Lebanese group along its northern border in October 2023.

The army did not explain how it arrived at that number on Thursday. It was not possible to independently corroborate its count.

Some 1,200 of the militants were killed after Israel began its ground invasion of southern Lebanon on Sept. 30, the military said.

Lebanon’s health ministry has reported more than 2,590 people in Lebanon killed by Israel’s bombardment and invasion over the past year, with women and children accounting for 25% of the dead.

The Israeli military also raised its death toll for its soldiers killed in fighting with Hezbollah over the past year to 56.