Thousands of Lebanese citizens displaced by the war between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah are headed back to their devastated towns and villages, following a truce that brought the war to a halt.
Israel and Lebanon accepted the proposal initiated by the U.S. to end the 13-month border conflict that spiralled into an all-out war in September with Hezbollah.
US President, Joe Biden, on Tuesday, said the deal that took effect early Wednesday morning “is designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.”
A joint statement by Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron said the deal “will create the conditions to restore lasting calm and allow residents in both countries to return safely to their homes on both sides of the Blue Line.”
The US and France promised to work with both sides to “ensure this arrangement is fully implemented and enforced.”
Following the agreement, the Lebanese military on Wednesday started reinforcing its presence in the country’s south, where Hezbollah has long held sway.
According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the ceasefire would allow Israel to shift focus back to Gaza, where it has been at war with Hamas since October 7, 2023, when another Iran-backed group launched a surprise attack on Israelis, killing 1200 persons and kidnapping 250 others.
“When Hezbollah is out of the picture, Hamas is left alone in the fight. Our pressure on it will intensify,” Netanyahu said, adding that Israel would also focus on “the Iranian threat”.
Iran is the main backer of both Hezbollah and Hamas and has fired two barrages of missiles and drones at Israel since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, in response to attacks attributed to Israel.
Hezbollah has emerged from the war significantly weakened and still mourning the killing in an Israeli air raid of its longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah told AFP on Wednesday that there is “full cooperation” with the Lebanese state in strengthening the army’s deployment.
The group has “no visible weapons or bases” there and “nobody can make residents leave their villages” he added.