Some south Lebanon residents trickle back as Israel-Hezbollah fighting pauses

Residents of southern Lebanon began a cautious return to their towns on Sunday, following a temporary halt in hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah the previous evening. However, the Lebanese army urged locals to postpone their returns, citing ongoing safety concerns related to Israeli actions.

In the southern city of Nabatieh, a few residents were observed returning to assess damage to their properties. Mohammad Salloum, who returned to check on his shop, stated that Nabatieh is "disaster-stricken" but expressed hope for the city's recovery within a few months. He has taken refuge in the northern city of Sidon.

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Nabatieh is disaster-stricken, but God willing, the city will return to life within two or three months.

The Lebanese army reiterated its warning, emphasizing the need for residents to comply with military instructions to ensure their safety from "Israeli violations and attacks." In the Tyre region, some residents also returned cautiously, while many awaited further developments from Middle East peace talks and clearance from local authorities.

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The need for residents to delay their return to southern border villages and towns and to comply with army instructions to preserve their safety from the danger of Israeli violations and attacks.

Hezbollah's ally, Iran, which was engaged in talks in Switzerland, had previously indicated it would not negotiate a broader agreement with the U.S. unless the conflict in Lebanon ended. The latest ceasefire was announced Friday, but Lebanese authorities reported that Israeli strikes on Saturday killed at least 30 people before the fighting ceased.

Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz stated on Sunday that Israeli forces have standing orders to counter any threat within Lebanon, maintaining their presence in a designated security zone. Recent Israeli military operations have concentrated on the Nabatieh region, and the city's central bank branch was reportedly targeted in an Israeli strike on Saturday. The mayor of Nabatieh estimated the destruction in the city over the past 48 hours to be equivalent to half of the damage sustained throughout the rest of the war.

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The scope of destruction on the city of Nabatieh in the past 48 hours amounts to about half of what happened during the rest of the war.