More than 800 , 000 displaced Lebanese returning home after war

What Happened

More than 800,000 people displaced by the Israel-Hezbollah war have begun returning to their hometowns, according to OCHA. As of 30 July, 821,077 had started their return, though over 360,000 remain displaced, including around 26,000 in government shelters. The returns follow a lull in violence tied to a June preliminary U.S.-Iran agreement on the wider regional conflict and a U.S.-sponsored deal between Israel and Lebanon. Intermittent Israeli strikes, shelling, and detonations continue in southern villages, where Israeli troops still occupy territory; war damage to water and electricity infrastructure has affected access for over 700,000 people in the south. A new round of U.S.-sponsored talks began in Rome on Tuesday, scheduled to run until Thursday, aimed at ending the fighting. The framework deal—agreed in Washington in June—envisions Hezbollah’s disarmament, a gradual Israeli withdrawal, and the Lebanese army’s deployment in ‘pilot zones’. Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem has rejected the agreement, saying direct negotiations will bring ‘nothing but shame, humiliation, and successive compromises’ for Lebanon.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The large-scale return of displaced people tests the durability of a fragile ceasefire and places immediate strain on war-damaged water and electricity infrastructure in south Lebanon. Hezbollah’s public rejection of the disarmament framework risks collapsing the diplomatic track, potentially reigniting full-scale hostilities that would again displace hundreds of thousands and deepen Lebanon’s humanitarian crisis.

Watch For

Outcomes of the Rome talks, which run until Thursday, especially any progress on pilot zones for Lebanese army deployment. Monitor whether Hezbollah’s rejection triggers a breakdown of the ceasefire or forces a renegotiation, and watch for further IDF strikes or troop repositioning as returns continue. Also, watch for updates on the 360,000 still displaced and the status of water infrastructure repair.