Hundreds of residents of villages in southern Lebanon attempted to return to their homes on Sunday morning, marking 60 days since the signing of the cease-fire agreement. However, the Israeli military prevented their return. According to Lebanon's Health Ministry, Israeli forces opened fire on civilians who approached the area, killing eleven people and wounding at least 83.
Under the terms of the cease-fire agreement, the military was scheduled to withdraw from Lebanon by Sunday and allow the Lebanese Army to deploy in the area. However, Israel announced that its forces would remain temporarily, citing the Lebanese Army's lack of preparedness.
The IDF's Arabic-language spokesperson issued a statement Sunday morning, instructing residents not to approach villages near the Israel-Lebanon border until further notice. The spokesperson warned that anyone who did so "is putting themselves in danger." Despite this warning, hundreds of civilians headed toward villages such as Al-Khiyam, Taybeh, Ayta al-Shab, and Kfar Kila, with some successfully entering their villages.
Residents of southern Lebanon on their way to their homes in Kafr Kila, in southern Lebanon, as some carry Hezbollah flags, on Sunday.
Lebanon's interim Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, warned on Sunday that any deviation from the cease-fire agreement or UN Resolution 1701 by Israel would have serious consequences.
Mikati called on the nations overseeing the agreement "to restrain Israel's aggression and compel it to withdraw from the territories it occupies. Meanwhile, the military's Arabic-language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, accused Hezbollah of orchestrating the unrest in southern Lebanon, claiming the group was sending "rioters" to the area. "Hezbollah does not care about Lebanon's interests," Adraee stated, adding that the organization "is attempting to escalate the situation to distract from its [weakened] standing in Lebanon and the Arab world."
The cease-fire agreement, which came into effect on November 27, specified that the Lebanese Army would deploy along the border once Israeli forces completed their withdrawal within 60 days. It also established a joint monitoring and enforcement mechanism involving the United States, Israel and Lebanon to ensure compliance with the agreement's provisions. Both Israel and Lebanon were given the right to report violations to this monitoring body.
Late last week, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the withdrawal process would extend beyond the 60-day deadline, stating that Lebanon had not yet fully implemented the cease-fire agreement. The statement noted that the decision had been made in full coordination with the United States.
Senior defense officials supported the decision to delay the withdrawal, though they warned the government that this could spark several days of renewed clashes with Hezbollah. They also cautioned that the move might lead Hamas to suspend or complicate the implementation of the hostage deal. Nevertheless, the Israeli military assessed that Hezbollah was unlikely to resume full-scale fighting due to its current state.
At present, the Israeli military maintains a limited presence in Lebanon, as a significant portion of its forces have already withdrawn. Remaining units are primarily stationed along the international border and in Israeli-controlled areas to defend the frontier.
Two primary reserve brigades remain deployed in southern Lebanon under the regional division. Their main task is to address Hezbollah violations of the cease-fire agreement. A source familiar with the situation told Haaretz last week that Israel had requested a 30-day extension of the withdrawal timeline from the United States.