Long-displaced individuals in southern Lebanon commenced returning to their homes amidst celebrations shortly after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect early Wednesday morning.
This ceasefire has brought significant relief to the small Mediterranean nation, following a series of intense airstrikes and clashes that marked some of the worst violence since the onset of the conflict. However, uncertainty looms over whether the agreement will endure. Israel has indicated that it will take military action if Hezbollah violates this ceasefire, which was declared on Tuesday.
Numerous vehicles flocked into southern Lebanon, disregarding an Israeli military warning against returning to previously evacuated zones. On Tuesday, local authorities reported that at least 42 fatalities resulted from Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon. In retaliation, Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel, triggering air raid sirens in northern regions of the country.
The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah symbolizes a significant move towards de-escalating the wider conflict that erupted following Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, though it does not directly address the severe situation unfolding in Gaza.
Hezbollah initiated its attacks on Israel a day after the Hamas assault. The military engagements in Lebanon intensified into a full-scale war in September, characterized by extensive Israeli airstrikes throughout the country and a ground incursion in the south.
In Gaza, the ongoing conflict with Hamas has resulted in over 44,000 deaths and more than 104,000 injuries, according to the Health Ministry in the region.
**Updates on the Ceasefire:**
**Iran’s Reaction**
In the United Arab Emirates, Iran expressed its support for the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, the primary militant ally in the region. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei commended the ceasefire in a Wednesday morning statement.
He emphasized Iran’s desire for a ceasefire also in the Israel-Hamas conflict within Gaza, while acknowledging that, like Hezbollah, it has reduced its demands for simultaneous ceasefires in both regions.
Baghaei further urged the International Criminal Court to hold accountable those he referred to as the “criminals of the occupying regime,” alluding to Israel, mentioning that the ICC has issued arrest warrants for notable Israeli figures including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
**Rejoicing and Homecomings in Tyre**
In the coastal city of Tyre, displaced residents began returning home on motorcycles and in vehicles early on Wednesday, disregarding the Israeli military’s cautions.
Ahmad Husseini expressed that returning to southern Lebanon elicited an “indescribable feeling” and commended Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri for his efforts in negotiating with Washington, stating, “He made us and everyone proud.”
While Husseini traveled in a car with family members, sporadic gunfire was heard in celebrations as people drove through the streets, some cars laden with mattresses, while residents cheered.
Slogans in praise of the late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who perished in an Israeli airstrike in September, echoed through the area, and Hussein Sweidan described the ceasefire as a victory for Hezbollah, stating it represented a moment of pride for the Shia community in Lebanon.
**Witnessing Damage in Beirut**
As daylight broke in Beirut, smoke billowed from various sites that had endured Israeli strikes prior to the ceasefire at 4:00 AM. This came after a particularly brutal day of airstrikes that residents in the capital and its southern suburbs faced.
With the ceasefire now in effect, parts of Lebanon experienced a moment of quiet for the first time since late September, in the wake of relentless strikes.
While celebratory gunfire echoed in some southern neighborhoods, the Israeli military’s spokesperson urged displaced Lebanese to remain away from their southern villages, even as videos circulated showing many returning to the vicinity of Tyre despite such warnings.
Israeli troops remain positioned in parts of southern Lebanon following their ground offensive initiated in October, while many residents have also been displaced from other regions, especially in southern Beirut and the eastern Bekaa province. With Lebanon’s economy in crisis, it remains uncertain how long rebuilding these war-torn areas will take. The war has displaced approximately 1.2 million individuals according to Lebanese officials.
**Israeli Military Stance**
With the ceasefire underway, the Israeli military reiterated its evacuation orders for regions in southern Lebanon, warning individuals whose homes fall under these directives to avoid returning.
Military spokesperson Col. Avichay Adraee communicated this caution via the social platform X, urging citizens to stay away from evacuated villages and the IDF forces in the area for their own safety.
As the ceasefire took hold early Wednesday morning, there appeared to be no immediate indications of renewed confrontations.
Overall, the ceasefire marks a crucial step towards mitigating nearly 14 months of conflict ignited by the ongoing war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.
Israel has made it clear that any breaches by Hezbollah will lead to military action, and under the terms of the ceasefire, a two-month cessation of hostilities is planned, requiring Hezbollah to withdraw from southern Lebanon while Israeli forces are to remain on their side of the border. An international panel led by the United States is slated to oversee compliance with this agreement.
The ceasefire officially commenced at 4 AM on Wednesday, following an intense series of airstrikes in Beirut that had characterized recent weeks.