Israeli troops killed 22 individuals in southern Lebanon as the deadline for their withdrawal elapsed, while thousands attempted to return home, defying an Israeli military command, according to Lebanese authorities.
Lebanon’s health ministry reported that Israeli forces fired upon “citizens attempting to return to their villages that remain under (Israeli) occupation.”
The casualties included six women and a soldier, with 124 others reported injured. The Lebanese army also confirmed the soldier’s death and stated that another was wounded.
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Lebanon’s US-backed military, which noted the loss of one of its soldiers to Israeli fire, has accused Israel of delaying its withdrawal.
The conflict involving Hezbollah and Israel occurred alongside Israel’s war in Gaza and reached a peak during a significant Israeli invasion that dislocated over a million people in Lebanon and considerably weakened the Hezbollah movement.
An injured man is assisted by emergency responders following Israeli troops opening fire.
The Israeli military asserted that its forces “operating in southern Lebanon fired warning shots to mitigate threats in various areas where individuals were identified approaching the troops.”
It further claimed that “several suspects … posing an immediate threat” were apprehended.
Hezbollah’s al-Manar television, broadcasting from multiple locations in the south, showed footage of residents moving toward their villages, some carrying the group’s flag and images of Hezbollah fighters who lost their lives in the conflict.
“We will return to our villages, and the Israeli enemy will depart,” declared Ali Harb, a 27-year-old attempting to reach Kfar Kila, “even if it costs lives.”
Individuals wait in their vehicles in Chaqra along a route leading to Mais al-Jabal to return to their village.
An Israeli military spokesperson, addressing the residents of southern Lebanon in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, accused Hezbollah of attempting to “escalate the situation” and claimed that the Israeli army would “soon communicate to them the locations they can return to.”
Hezbollah has placed the responsibility on the Lebanese state to ensure Israel’s withdrawal.
Hezbollah politician Hassan Fadlallah stated that Lebanon remains committed to the ceasefire agreement, but accused Israel of violating it with support from the US.
The White House asserted on Friday that a brief, temporary extension of the ceasefire was urgently necessary.
President urges residents of the south to trust the military.
“What is occurring in the border villages is a liberation through the people’s strength, and our people will not be subdued by the Israeli army,” President Joseph Aoun told Reuters.
“We want the state to play its full role, and for the army to be deployed in the villages.”
President Aoun added: “We cooperate with it to facilitate its mission.”
The top UN official in Lebanon and the commander of the UN peacekeepers in the south declared that conditions were “not yet suitable” for the safe return of Lebanese citizens to villages adjacent to the border.
“The reality is that the timelines outlined” in the ceasefire “have not been adhered to,” they stated in a joint announcement.
Civilians carry Hezbollah flags and posters of Hassan Nasrallah as they make their way back to southern Lebanon.
The agreement specified a 60-day timeframe for implementation.
President Aoun, who was Lebanon’s army commander before being elected head of state on January 9, urged the people of the south to exercise restraint and trust in the Lebanese military.
”Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable, and I am closely monitoring this matter at the highest levels to ensure your rights and dignity,” he stated in a message.
Israel has not disclosed how long its forces will remain in the south, where they claim to be seizing Hezbollah’s weaponry and dismantling its infrastructure.
Israel asserted that its campaign against Hezbollah aims to enable the return of tens of thousands of Israelis who were forced to evacuate their residences near the border due to Hezbollah rocket fire.
Hezbollah initiated fire in solidarity with its Palestinian ally Hamas at the onset of the Gaza conflict on October 8, 2023.
