A fragile calm settled in some regions of Lebanon on Friday as the 10-day ceasefire negotiated by the United States took effect between Israel and Hezbollah.
The beginning of the truce prompted thousands of displaced families to make the journey back home, but uncertainty and Israeli warnings darkened their return.
In the morning, cars were piling up on the road leading south to the damaged Qasmiyeh bridge, which spans the Litani River, a crucial passage connecting the coastal city of Tyre.
Vehicles packed with mattresses, suitcases, and personal belongings slowly moved on a single lane, hastily repaired after an Israeli airstrike the day before.
The war between Israel and Hezbollah forced over a million people to leave their homes.
The ceasefire seemed to be holding overall at the start of the day. However, Lebanese authorities advised against attempting to return home immediately.
In southern villages like Jibsheet, returning residents encountered destroyed buildings, streets littered with pieces of concrete, and dangling electrical wires.
“I feel free to be back,” said Zainab Fahas, 23. “But look, they destroyed everything: the square, the houses, the shops, everything.”
Many people interviewed by the Associated Press did not believe their ordeal was truly over.
“Israel does not want peace,” declared Ali Wahdan, 27, a paramedic walking with crutches among the rubble of the emergency services headquarters in Jibsheet.
Mr. Wahdan was seriously injured in an Israeli airstrike that hit the building during the first week of the war.
“I wish it were different, but this war will continue,” he lamented.
In the Haret Hreik neighborhood south of Beirut, entire buildings were reduced to ruins after weeks of intense Israeli airstrikes.
Ahmad Lahham, 48, waved the yellow flag of Hezbollah, standing on a pile of rubble that was once his building, which also housed a branch of Hezbollah’s financial arm, Al-Qard Al-Hassan.
“We are at the service of the fighters,” said Mr. Lahham, reaffirming his loyalty to the group.
He praised Iran and stated that the pressure exerted by the country during its negotiations with the United States led to the ceasefire, condemning Lebanon’s direct talks with Israel.
“Only the Iranians supported us,” he mentioned, calling Lebanese leaders “leaders of shame.”
According to a local official in Haret Hreik, Israel struck the neighborhood 62 times in the past six weeks.
“We were able to clear the rubble from partially damaged buildings, but for those that were destroyed, we will need special equipment,” explained Sadek Slim, deputy mayor of the neighborhood, during a press conference.
The neighborhood was paralyzed by traffic, with residents returning to check on the status of their homes. Meanwhile, Hezbollah supporters sped by on scooters, waving the group’s flag.
