News - Middle East: A week after a fragile ceasefire went into effect in Lebanon, the country’s health authorities say the death toll from Israel’s offensive has now reached 4,047, though they believe the real number may be higher.

Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad told reporters on Wednesday that "until now... we have recorded 4,047 dead and 16,638 wounded."

He said 316 children and 790 women were among the victims of Israel’s invasion of the country.

"We believe the real number may be higher" due to unrecorded deaths, he added.

Monday was the deadliest day in Lebanon since a ceasefire was agreed between Israel and Hezbollah on Nov. 26, with the regime’s airstrikes killing at least 11 people in southern Lebanon.

The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon,  known as UNIFIL, said Israel’s military had breached the ceasefire agreement “approximately 100” times since last Wednesday.

Both the United States and France, who helped broker the agreement, warned the regime of Israel against violating the ceasefire.

Israel, however, threatened Lebanon, with the regime’s minister of military affairs Israel Katz saying on Tuesday that if the ceasefire with Hezbollah collapses, the military will carry out airstrikes “deeper” into the country.

Later in the day, AFP cited an unnamed government official that Beirut was aiming to recruit an additional 6,000 soldiers in the south, starting with 1,500 in an initial phase.

The deal that ended nearly 70 days of Israel's offensive on the country demanded an immediate halt to Israel’s aggression on Lebanese soil and gave the regime’s forces 60 days to withdraw from south Lebanon.

 Source: Press TV