Lebanese flock to devastated south after US-Iran deal despite fragile ceasefire

Fadl Nasser jumped on his motorcycle and sped toward his home village of Ain Baal in southern Lebanon as soon as he heard the news of a US-Iran deal to end the war, including the fighting in Lebanon. He is one of thousands forming a convoy of vehicles heading south — an area that has endured Israeli airstrikes since March 2. Cars once crammed with luggage now carry people returning after months of sheltering in the north.

Nasser is among the 1.2 million Lebanese forced to flee after Israel entered the south. He had been lodging in a school in Sidon, 44km north of his home in the Tyre district. Tyre is an area that has suffered widespread destruction.

Although villagers are streaming back, Israeli forces still occupy nearly 20% of Lebanese territory, and the threat of attack has not subsided as Tel Aviv refuses to withdraw from the south.

Cautious return amid devastation

Following the ceasefire announcement, Lebanese authorities and the army urged residents of border villages to exercise caution and avoid returning until the security situation improves. Nonetheless, many — who had been living in tents and cars — decided to go back. Abu al-Hassan, a returning resident, told Al Jazeera that the bitter experience of displacement only strengthened their bond with their villages, and the feeling of coming back “is beyond words, no matter the damage.”

The devastation awaiting them is immense, with homes and civilian infrastructure destroyed on a scale reminiscent of Gaza. Since Israel launched its military campaign on March 2, at least 3,783 people have been killed and 11,699 wounded in Lebanon.

Densely populated areas such as Tyre and Nabatieh have suffered heavy damage from Israeli bombardment. More than a third of Tyre’s population was forced to evacuate. Many southern villages have been levelled.

In Deir Qanoun en-Nahr in the Tyre district, Mohammad Hariri stood before the rubble of his home, grieving the loss of his son and grandson in an Israeli air strike. “Losing loved ones is more painful than losing stones,” Hariri said, noting that a few families had moved into relatives’ homes while awaiting reconstruction.

In Nabatieh, local official Hussein Barjawi said the level of destruction in some areas reached 70%, making reconstruction extremely difficult. He noted that people returned at the first opportunity without waiting for official guidance, reflecting a deep attachment to their land.

Background of broken ceasefires

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday insisted that his military would not withdraw from southern Lebanon, which they view as a buffer zone, despite the deal. The next day, Iran warned that any attack on Lebanon or continued occupation of its territory would violate the interim agreement, which is expected to be formally signed in Geneva on Friday.

The armed group Hezbollah, which has fought Israel, supported the deal to end the war on all fronts. The conflict between Iran and Israel spilled into Lebanon after Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in late February. It was Hezbollah’s first attack since a 2024 ceasefire.

Earlier, Hezbollah had engaged in cross-border fighting with Israel for months in 2024, citing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Israel has been condemned internationally for its campaign in Gaza, which scholars and human rights organizations have called genocide.

The November 2024 ceasefire required Israel to withdraw and Hezbollah to move its armed forces north of the Litani River. However, Israel never fully stopped its attacks and still occupies five points along the border. Hezbollah refused to disarm as long as Israeli forces remained on Lebanese soil.

Two US-brokered ceasefires — on April 16 and June 3 — failed to prevent the escalation of violence in southern Lebanon. Israel continued to strike, even targeting the suburbs of Beirut despite warnings from US President Donald Trump.

The security situation remains unstable, with Israel declaring it is not bound by the deal. On Monday afternoon, Lebanese state media reported an Israeli drone struck a car in the south, killing the driver.