Israel says 250 Hezbollah members killed on April 8, Safa says all were civilians
Israel's military said Monday that a massive wave of strikes in Lebanon last week killed five Hezbollah commanders, as well as more than 250 of the group's fighters.
The Lebanese health ministry has said Wednesday's attacks killed more than 350 people in total and wounded more than 1,200.
Israel had previously put the number of Hezbollah members killed at around 180.
"During the largest strike conducted in Lebanon, more than 250 Hezbollah terrorists and commanders were eliminated" across the country, including in the country's south, the Bekaa region and Beirut, the military said in its statement Monday.
The military named five commanders killed, including Hassan Nasser, chief of Hezbollah's logistics support headquarters, and Abu Muhammad Habib, deputy commander of the group's missile unit.
Wafiq Safa, a high-ranking member of Hezbollah's political council, said "none of our officials or cadres was killed in Beirut". "Those who died in Beirut are 100% civilians."
The army said Monday that it continued to operate in Lebanon, with troops surrounding the southern town of Bint Jbeil.
Last week's punishing wave of strikes came on the same day as the start of a fragile two-week truce agreed between the U.S. and Iran in the Middle East war, which has killed thousands across the region and plunged the global economy into turmoil.
Also on Monday, Israel's military said it had struck around 150 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon over the past 24 hours.
"In the past 24 hours, approximately 150 Hezbollah terrorist organization targets were struck in numerous areas across southern Lebanon," the military said, adding that the targets included "military structures, anti-tank missile launch points, and terror command centers".
Lebanon was pulled into the war when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel on March 2, days after the opening salvo of U.S.-Israeli strikes killed Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
Israel responded with massive strikes and a ground invasion.
While Iran and mediator Pakistan had insisted Lebanon was included under the ceasefire, Israel and the U.S. have disputed this.
Israeli and Lebanese officials are set to hold negotiations on Tuesday in Washington.