Al Jazeera
centerREPORTLebanese rush back to their devastated homes in south after US-Iran deal

Full BriefGenerated 53d ago
What Happened
Thousands of Lebanese civilians began returning to their homes in southern Lebanon after a deal between Iran and the United States to end the war, despite Israel's refusal to withdraw and its continued occupation of nearly 20% of Lebanon. Lebanese authorities and the army warned residents of border villages to exercise caution, but many displaced people, including Fadl Nasser who returned to Ain Baal in Tyre district from Sidon, chose to go back immediately, citing harsh displacement conditions. The south has suffered massive destruction since March 2: at least 3,783 killed and 11,699 wounded, with entire villages razed in areas like Tyre and Nabatieh. More than a third of Tyre's population was displaced. In Deir Qanoun en-Nahr, Mohammad Hariri mourned his son and nephew killed in an Israeli air raid. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said troops will not withdraw from the country's south, which it calls a buffer zone. Iran warned that any Israeli attack or continued occupation would violate the interim agreement, to be formally signed in Geneva on Friday. Hezbollah backed the deal. Two prior US-brokered ceasefires, on April 16 and June 3, did not stop the violence. On Monday afternoon, an Israeli drone strike on a car in southern Lebanon killed its driver.
Key Actors
- ·Israel(State actor; Prime Minister Netanyahu and the IDF)Refuses to withdraw from southern Lebanon, maintains occupation of nearly 20% of the country as a buffer zone, and continues military strikes despite the deal.
- ·Iran(State actor; party to the deal with the US)Warned that continued Israeli occupation or attacks constitute a violation of the interim agreement, which is to be signed in Geneva on Friday.
- ·Hezbollah(Lebanese political-military movement)Backed the deal to end the war on all fronts, having fought Israel after its first attack since the 2024 ceasefire, prompted by the killing of Ayatollah Khamenei.
- ·Lebanese Government and Army(State authorities)Warned residents not to return prematurely because of security risks, but returnees ignored the directives.
Why It Matters
The mass return amid a fragile deal and ongoing occupation underscores the deep connection of Lebanese to their land and the immense pressure to resolve displacement. Israel's refusal to withdraw threatens to undermine the agreement, potentially reigniting conflict, testing the credibility of US and Iranian mediation and the implementation of ceasefire terms.
Watch For
Formal signing of the interim agreement in Geneva on Friday; any Israeli withdrawal or maintenance of the buffer zone; Hezbollah and Iranian responses to further Israeli strikes or continued occupation; actions by the Lebanese army to facilitate safe return; statements from the US and Iran on enforcement mechanisms.
Generated 53d ago · Based on full articleAuto-Compiled
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Lebanon
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