Beirut, Lebanon – Tens of thousands of displaced Lebanese families are returning home despite ongoing reports of Israeli shelling and demolitions of homes near the country’s southern border. Cars loaded with mattresses, bags, and salvaged belongings continued streaming south on Saturday as families went back to assess if their homes remained intact. “There’s destruction and it’s unliveable. We’re taking our things and leaving again,” said Fadel Badreddine, displaced from Nabatieh, highlighting the precarious situation for returnees.
A preliminary assessment by Lebanese authorities conducted before the truce found that nearly 40,000 homes had been destroyed or damaged, with Beirut’s southern suburbs among the worst-hit areas, followed by districts across southern Lebanon. “I came to check on my house and take a few things,” said Samia Lawand, a resident of Beirut’s southern suburbs. “I found it badly damaged. It was hit in the previous war and again in this one,” underscoring the cumulative impact of conflicts on civilian infrastructure.
A 10-day ceasefire took effect on Thursday night, raising hopes for a pause after 46 days of intensified Israeli attacks. However, uncertainty persists amid widespread destruction and Israeli warnings against returning to parts of southern Lebanon. During the fragile ceasefire, Al Jazeera correspondents on the ground reported that Israeli bulldozers were continuing demolition and land-clearing operations in several areas of southern Lebanon, while Israeli artillery also shelled areas around Beit Lif, al-Qantara, and Toul, indicating potential violations or ongoing military activities.
Residents living closest to the border with Israel have largely been unable to return, while others faced delays after Israeli attacks damaged bridges linking areas south of the Litani River with the rest of Lebanon. During the war, Israeli forces launched a ground invasion several kilometres into Lebanese territory, and Israeli officials now claim that Israel will remain in control of 55 towns and villages. Al Jazeera’s Tony Cheng reported that Israel had established what it describes as a “yellow line” security zone, extending up to 10km (6.2 miles) from the border in some places. “That allows it to control a line of antitank fire, meaning it can bring in heavy artillery and heavy armour into Lebanon,” Cheng said, suggesting an expansion of Israeli military presence.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz stated that the area between the security zone and the Litani River had not yet been cleared of fighters and “weapons,” adding, “This will have to be done through diplomatic means or continued Israeli military activity after the ceasefire.” Rare face-to-face talks between Lebanon and Israel are expected to resume in the coming days, though both sides appear to have sharply different priorities. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met Prime Minister Nawaf Salam at Baabda Palace on Saturday, where they discussed the latest security and diplomatic developments, including Aoun’s contacts with US President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and several Arab and foreign leaders.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese government’s decision to engage in talks with Israel risks deepening tensions with Hezbollah. Both Israel and the Lebanese government have called for Hezbollah to disarm, but the group insists its weapons are necessary to defend Lebanon and southern communities, refusing to disarm without agreement on a national defence strategy. Hezbollah has also linked the ceasefire to broader regional diplomacy involving Iran, with parallel negotiations expected between the US and Iran in the coming days in Islamabad, complicating the peace process further.
Source: www.aljazeera.com