Thousands of Lebanese residents returned to their villages in south Lebanon on Friday following the implementation of a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, using the pause in hostilities to journey back to their homes. Displaced residents are utilizing this shaky ceasefire to make their way back to their villages. Convoys of vehicles traveled south from Beirut as families, displaced by recent conflict, began their return. This mass movement of people, eager to assess the state of their properties and communities, transformed the normally two-hour drive into a grueling 10-hour journey due to significant traffic congestion. The initial return on Friday was followed by further convoys of vehicles driving south from Beirut after the ceasefire was extended, indicating a continued, albeit cautious, movement of people back to their communities.
Among those returning was Faiz Hilal’s family, who found their apartment near the southern Lebanese port city of Tyre, with the surrounding street extensively damaged by Israeli airstrikes. The devastation around their home showed the widespread impact of the conflict on civilian infrastructure. Officials said the Lebanese army worked through the night to repair the Qasmiyeh Bridge, a key access point into Tyre, which reports indicated had been bombed by Israel just hours before the ceasefire took effect. The ceasefire has allowed initial assessments of the widespread destruction in the southern region, revealing the scale of the damage inflicted during the hostilities. The Hilal family, facing immense challenges, managed to make a single room habitable for their family of six, a testament to their resilience amidst the widespread destruction.
Returning to Ruin and Resilience
Mohammed Ashour, who had been displaced for 44 days, traveled at 5 AM towards his hometown of Shaqra. Ashour stated that he had been informed his house was destroyed, but he wanted to witness the damage directly. "It's our land," Ashour said, adding, "Whether the truce is short or long, even if it's just for an hour, we will come back." This sentiment of unwavering attachment to their land is shared by many who are now navigating the ruins of their former lives. Ashour’s early morning journey reflected the urgency felt by many to return and confront the reality of their homes and communities.
In Srifa, three-quarters of the homes in Hassan Najdi's neighborhood have been flattened, according to Najdi. This extensive destruction paints a stark picture of the challenges facing returning residents. He affirmed a willingness to adapt, stating, "We can live in tents, even if we don't have houses." This resilience is a common theme among those who have lost so much but remain determined to rebuild. Hassan Najdi, a 28-year-old electrical engineer, returned to a heavily damaged home in the town of Srifa, reflecting the personal toll of the conflict on individuals and families. The scale of devastation in Srifa, with so many homes flattened, notes the immense reconstruction effort that will be required.
Reports from the Israeli newspaper Haaretz indicate widespread looting by Israeli soldiers across the conflict zone in southern Lebanon. These reports further detail that rendering southern Lebanon uninhabitable has become a military priority, superseding the objective of fighting Hezbollah. This strategic shift suggests a deliberate effort to displace populations and alter the demographic landscape of the region. During Israeli strikes last week, Amal al-Khalil, a close friend of Kassem Istanbouli and a Lebanese journalist, was tragically killed, adding to the human cost of the conflict. The reports from Haaretz show a concerning shift in military objectives, moving beyond direct combat to a strategy that impacts civilian life and infrastructure on a broad scale.
Amid the destruction, the TIRO Association for Arts renovated the Lebanese National Theater in Beirut in 2025. This theater, a significant cultural venue, had housed 150 displaced individuals at the peak of the conflict, serving as a temporary sanctuary for those fleeing violence. The renovation efforts symbolize a commitment to cultural preservation and community healing even amidst ongoing challenges. The Israel-Hezbollah wars since late 2023 have also had a direct human cost for cultural organizations, taking the lives of a half-dozen members of TIRO, noting the broad impact of the conflict on various sectors of Lebanese society. The theater, having provided refuge to 150 displaced people during the height of the conflict, now stands as a symbol of cultural resilience and a reminder of the human displacement caused by the hostilities.
Uncertain Ceasefire, Ongoing Threats and Deepening Occupation
The Israeli army currently occupies a swath of southern Lebanon extending more than six miles deep, effectively cutting off 67 towns and systematically demolishing structures within them. This deep occupation has profound implications for the sovereignty and future of these Lebanese communities. Despite the ongoing ceasefire, Israeli troops have maintained positions in border villages, reportedly meeting approaching residents with gunfire. This continued military presence and the prior conflict have resulted in significant casualties, with more than 2,100 people killed by Israel over the last six weeks of war in Lebanon, showing the devastating human toll. The systematic demolition of structures within the 67 towns under Israeli occupation further illustrates the extensive damage and displacement affecting a significant portion of southern Lebanon.
Further illustrating the conflict's impact on civilian infrastructure, Tebnine hospital sustained damage this week from two nearby Israeli strikes, which injured 11 members of the hospital staff. Such incidents highlight the vulnerability of essential services during hostilities and the direct threat posed to medical personnel. Israeli officials have stated their intention to occupy southern Lebanon "indefinitely," a claim that raises serious concerns about the long-term stability of the region and signals a potential for prolonged military control. Hezbollah has cautioned residents against returning to strongholds in Beirut’s southern suburbs or southern Lebanon, indicating ongoing security risks even amidst the truce, suggesting that the ceasefire provides only a temporary respite from deeper, unresolved tensions. The damage to Tebnine hospital, a critical healthcare facility, and the injuries sustained by its staff, exemplify the indiscriminate nature of the conflict and its broad consequences for civilian life.
Gamble for Home and Hope Amidst Devastation
The Hilal family managed to make a single room habitable for their family of six after returning to their home, a testament to their determination to reclaim a semblance of normalcy despite the destruction. Elsewhere, 28-year-old electrical engineer Hassan Najdi returned to a heavily damaged residence in the town of Srifa. Najdi observed, "Honestly, everything has changed a lot. The features of the place are completely different. When you first enter the village, you can’t even recognise that this is the Srifa it used to be." This profound sense of disorientation is common among those returning to unrecognizable landscapes that were once familiar homes. The 14-member family of Salah Sheet, from Kfar Kila, has viewed videos posted by Israeli soldiers showing widespread destruction in their village, offering a grim preview of what awaits them. The Hilal family's calculated gamble to return home is shared by 1.2 million Lebanese residents who were forced from their homes by two months of war, noting the immense scale of displacement and the difficult choices facing countless families.
Israeli military forces flattened entire villages along the border with controlled demolitions and bombings during their month-long occupation, illustrating a systematic approach to destruction. Salah Sheet's family has experienced significant loss, with a dozen members who fought with Hezbollah having died over the years, showing the deep personal sacrifices made by families in the conflict zones. Najdi indicated that his family's return was a temporary assessment, stating, "We’ve come back during these 10 days to see what the situation is with this truce, whether there will actually be commitment from the Israeli side." He also expressed resilience, saying, "We can live in tents, even if we don’t have houses," echoing the resolve of many Lebanese. The systematic flattening of entire villages by Israeli military forces through controlled demolitions and bombings during their occupation paints a stark picture of the deliberate destruction inflicted upon the border regions.
The Hilal family's decision represents a calculated gamble faced by 1.2 million Lebanese residents who were forced from their homes by two months of conflict. This massive displacement notes the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region. The journey for returning residents, which typically takes two hours, extended to 10 hours due to traffic congestion, further emphasizing the scale of the movement and the challenges faced by those trying to return. Hezbollah's actions, which contributed to the conflict, were in response to the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Tehran days earlier, providing key context for the escalation of hostilities. The complex interplay of regional events and local grievances continues to shape the lives of countless individuals in south Lebanon.