‘We want to be 100% sure’: war-weary Lebanese greet truce with caution

What Happened

Following the announcement of a US–Iran ceasefire, displaced residents of south Lebanon began returning to their villages, only to encounter immediate hazards. In Harees, municipal official Abdullah al-Ali filmed an Israeli armoured vehicle left packed with explosives blocking the road less than 100 metres ahead; two similar explosive-laden vehicles were later discovered nearby. Lebanese army and civil defence warned people not to return, while Israeli shelling struck residents attempting to reach homes south of Nabatieh, which remains occupied by Israeli soldiers. Hezbollah attacks halted entirely, but Israel's defence minister Israel Katz declared that Israeli troops would not withdraw from a 'security zone' of at least 600 sq km along the border, and Israel reserved the right to respond to any Hezbollah action. The war, which had killed almost 3,800 in Lebanon over just more than 100 days, left thousands of structures destroyed, dozens of villages occupied or flattened, and more than a million displaced.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The cautious reception underscores the fragility of the ceasefire, which follows a US–Iran agreement but leaves core Israeli–Hezbollah grievances unresolved. Israel’s declared intent to maintain a military presence south of the Litani and to act unilaterally against perceived threats could quickly reignite violence. For Lebanon, the war’s massive displacement—over a million people—and the widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure in the south pose a staggering reconstruction challenge, contingent on the truce’s stability.

Watch For

The immediate test is whether the Lebanese Armed Forces, with UNIFIL’s help, can deploy to verify Israeli withdrawals from the claimed security zone and manage the return of civilians. Any Israeli strikes on residents or Hezbollah’s reaction to perceived violations could collapse the truce. Also watch for the formal terms of the US–Iran deal as they apply to Lebanon, and parliamentary or cabinet responses to the occupation of southern villages.