Jerusalem: The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) on Monday issued a strong warning to Lebanese civilians, urging them not to return to numerous villages in southern Lebanon, alleging that Hezbollah’s operations in the region are breaching last week’s ceasefire pact.
Since the Israel-Lebanon truce came into force on Friday, thousands of displaced families have started heading back to areas in southern Lebanon, according to AFP.
Lebanese troops have since reopened a vital roadway connecting the southern hub of Nabatiyeh to the Khardali district, which had been shut due to prior Israeli airstrikes.
Access to Burj Rahal-Tyre bridge has also been partially reinstated.
Yet the IDF on Monday called on civilians to steer clear of returning to many southern villages.
“Hezbollah has continued its terrorist activity during the ceasefire in violation of the agreement; accordingly, the army remains deployed in the defensive area,” the military’s Arabic-language spokesman Colonel Avichay Adraee said on X.
“For your safety and the safety of your families, and until further notice, we urge you not to move south of the Forward Defence Line,” he said, referring to a boundary marking an area occupied by Israeli troops.
On Saturday, senior Hezbollah official Mahmud Qamati also cautioned residents against going back.
“Israeli treachery is expected at any time, and this is a temporary truce,” he said.
“Take a breath, relax a little, but do not abandon the places you have taken refuge in until we are completely reassured about your return” to your homes, he said.
Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz stated on Sunday that the military had been directed to employ “full force” against any threats in Lebanon, even under the ceasefire.
He also pledged to raze homes purportedly used by Hezbollah, as Lebanese state media indicated that such demolitions were in progress.
The military released a map depicting its “forward defence line” and a zone running along the Israel-Lebanon border, where it said forces are working to eliminate Hezbollah infrastructure and “prevent direct threats to communities in northern Israel”.
