By The Israeli military has issued a warning to Lebanese citizens against returning to 60 villages in southern Lebanon, three days into a fragile ceasefire between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released a map outlining a designated zone stretching several miles deep into southern Lebanon, where it said returning residents would be at significant risk.
The warning comes after more than a year of intense fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which escalated following the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. The ongoing conflict displaced more than one million Lebanese, mostly from the south, and tens of thousands of Israelis. Although the ceasefire went into effect Wednesday morning, both Israel and Lebanon have accused each other of breaching the truce.
On Thursday, the IDF said it had conducted artillery strikes and air raids against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon. The military claimed to have targeted a Hezbollah weapons facility after spotting suspicious activity and vehicles in the area, accusing the group of violating the ceasefire. Lebanon, in turn, accused Israel of multiple violations and said it was closely monitoring the situation.
A multinational monitoring mission, including representatives from the U.S., France, and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), was established to oversee compliance with the ceasefire agreement.
In his first interview since the truce was declared, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Israel would resume “intensive military operations” if Hezbollah committed a “massive violation” of the ceasefire. Netanyahu emphasized that the ceasefire could be short-lived, depending on the group’s actions.
The ceasefire, brokered by the U.S. and France, includes provisions for Israeli forces to withdraw from southern Lebanon while the Lebanese army deploys to the region. Armed groups, including Hezbollah, are not permitted to operate in the area. The plan calls for these steps to be completed within 60 days.
The zone Israel has marked as unsafe for return stretches from Mansouri on the coast to Shebaa in the east. The Lebanese army also cautioned residents not to return to areas previously occupied by Israeli forces until their withdrawal is complete.
The current conflict began on October 8, 2023, when Hezbollah launched rocket attacks on northern Israel, shortly after the Hamas assault on Israel from Gaza. Hezbollah stated that it was acting in solidarity with Palestinians in the wake of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
Since the outbreak of hostilities, the Lebanese health ministry reported that Israeli strikes have killed at least 3,961 people and injured 16,520 others. Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s attacks have killed 31 soldiers and 45 civilians inside Israel. Another 45 Israeli soldiers have died in combat in southern Lebanon.
As both sides remain on edge, the future of the ceasefire appears uncertain, with ongoing violations further straining the fragile peace.
