At least 60 people have been killed in Israeli attacks on Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley, the Lebanese health ministry said.

Two children were among those killed in strikes which targeted 16 areas in the Baalbek region, officials said.

The ministry said 58 people were wounded, adding rescue efforts were still under way in the valley, which is a Hezbollah stronghold.

The Israeli military has not yet commented.

Israel has carried out thousands of air strikes across Lebanon over the past five weeks, targeting what it says are Hezbollah's operatives, infrastructure and weapons.

Governor Bachie Khodr called the attacks the "most violent" in the area since Israel escalated the conflict against Hezbollah last month.

Unverified video posted on social media showed damage to buildings and forests ablaze, as rescuers searched for the injured.

In the town of Boudai, videos on social media appeared to show residents pleading for heavy equipment to be sent to help rescue people believed to be trapped.

The regional head of Baalbek's Civil Defence crews told the BBC that the air strikes were like a "ring of fire".

'It was a very violent night," Bilal Raad said.

"It was like a ring of fire has suddenly surrounded the area."

He added the attacks had targeted "residential quarters where civilians live or near them", and said a lack of equipment had hampered search and rescue efforts.

The town of Al-Allaq was hardest hit with 16 people killed, all from the same family, he said.

Baalbek is home to the ancient Roman ruins of Heliopolis - a UNESCO World Heritage site - where, in Roman times, thousands of pilgrims went to worship three deities.

A UNESCO spokesperson said that analysis of satellite images had not revealed any damage within the perimeter of the inscribed site of Baalbek.

They added they were "closely following the impact of the ongoing crisis in Lebanon on the cultural heritage sites".