Hours after a ceasefire went into effect, residents of southern Lebanon began returning to their homes on Wednesday morning, prompting Israeli warnings not to do so until the army withdraws from Lebanon.
“The IDF remains deployed in its positions inside southern Lebanon,” tweeted Col. Avichay Adraee, the Israel Defense Force’s Arabic-language spokesperson. “You are prohibited from heading towards the villages that the IDF has ordered to be evacuated or towards IDF forces in the area. For your safety and the safety of your family members, refrain from moving to the area. We will inform you when it is safe to return home.”
The two-month ceasefire went into effect at 4:00 AM.
Under the terms of the agreement, Hezbollah is supposed to withdraw its armed presence from areas of southern Lebanon south of the Litani River. Israeli forces will also withdraw from southern Lebanon in stages. The Lebanese Armed Forces is to be deployed in southern Lebanon including along the 120 km border with Israel, as will monitors from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.