BEIRUT

Lebanon said on Friday evening that 26 people were killed and 86 others were injured in Israeli attacks over the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of casualties since March 2 to 1,142 dead and 3,315 injured.

The death toll includes 122 children and 83 women, while the total number of injured includes 403 children and 456 women, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

The Israeli army has carried out airstrikes and launched a ground offensive in southern Lebanon since a cross-border attack by Hezbollah on March 2.

The ongoing Israeli offensive in Lebanon comes amid heightened regional tensions since the US and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,340 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.

Writing by Serdar Dincel