BEIRUT

The death toll from Friday’s Israeli airstrike on the southern suburbs of Beirut has risen to 45, the Lebanese Health Ministry said on Sunday.

In a statement, the ministry said that recovery efforts, coordinated with relevant security agencies, continued for the third consecutive day.

Forensic teams have begun collecting samples from the bodies of unidentified victims in hospitals for DNA testing, it added.

The Lebanese news agency reported that the targeted building was hit by four rockets, causing the collapse of neighboring structures as well.

The Israeli army said that the strike also resulted in the assassination of a prominent Hezbollah military leader, Ibrahim Aqil, along with other senior commanders.

Hezbollah confirmed that at least 16 of its members, including senior leader Ibrahim Aqil and top commander Ahmed Wahbi, were killed in the Israeli strike.

This strike marked the third Israeli attack on Beirut's southern suburbs, Hezbollah's stronghold in Lebanon, amid ongoing exchanges of fire over the past year.

Previous notable assassinations include Hamas political bureau deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri in January and Hezbollah leader Fouad Shukr in July.

The attack occurred against the backdrop of a "new wave" of Israeli escalation in Lebanon, as Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced on Thursday the war with Hezbollah has entered a "new phase."

Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza, which has killed nearly 41,400 people, mostly women and children, following a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7 last year.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi