UN says strikes on Lebanon killing children 'at a frightening rate'

The UN children's agency condemned this week's sharp escalation of violence between Israel and Hezbollah, saying that the bombardment of Lebanon was killing children "at a frightening rate".

Hezbollah and Israel have been locked in a deadly exchange of cross-border fire since the Iran-backed group's Palestinian ally, Hamas, attacked Israel on October 7.

Israel shifted its focus this week from Gaza to its northern front with Lebanon, while Hezbollah has launched barrages of rockets into northern Israel.

Since Monday, Israeli warplanes have bombarded what the military says are Hezbollah targets around Lebanon, leaving around 700 people dead, according to the Lebanese health ministry, which says the majority were civilians.

On Monday and Tuesday, 50 of those killed were children, UNICEF said, citing ministry data.

"The attacks on Lebanon are killing and injuring children at a frightening rate," UNICEF's Lebanon representative Edouard Beigbeder said, according to the statement.

The situation "has moved from crisis to catastrophe. The suffering of children must stop," Beigbeder said, calling for a halt in the fighting.

Israel has hit back against accusations of large numbers of civilian casualties, accusing Hezbollah of using civilians as human shields.