At least 22 people were killed and 124 were wounded in southern Lebanon as Israeli soldiers continued occupying the territory despite the withdrawal deadline, as reported by administration sources at the Lebanese Health Ministry. The dead included women, children, and a medic, intensifying the atmosphere in an area already embattled by instability.
The clashes broke out Sunday with thousands of displaced Lebanese returnees seeking to get back to their homes in villages along the border, having spent weeks under such miserable conditions. Many residents disregarded the warnings from the Lebanese and Israeli armies, as well as the United Nations, that the place was yet unsafe and instead risked the lives of their families to return and inspect the damage to their homes and get their salvageable belongings.
According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, Israeli forces opened fire on civilians attempting to enter areas still under occupation. The Lebanese army reported that one of its soldiers was killed and another was wounded by Israeli gunfire in the same area.
According to an Israeli military statement multiple warning shots fired across southern Lebanon but the military may or may not have caused any casualties. Military authorities detained several persons they identified as standing against “imminent threats.”
The armed conflict emerges as Israel and Hezbollah continue to wrestle with implementing their failed 60-day truce agreement. Israel maintains that the conflict parties have not accomplished the ceasefire agreement’s final terms to pull back their forces and remove Hezbollah fighters from southern Lebanon. There exists uncertainty regarding the exact number of Israeli troops keeping a presence in southern Lebanon as well as their planning duration of occupation.
Military operations in the region have become more chaotic since both forces keep casting blame at each other. Officials from Lebanon condemned Israel’s sustained military presence claiming it violates both the ceasefire terms and dishonors Lebanon’s territorial rights. The Israeli government has explained its actions through security justifications regarding projected Hezbollah military operations throughout the area.
United Nations monitoring teams expressed serious worry about the freshly rekindled violence while demanding each party demonstrate self-restraint. Peacekeepers deployed by the UN in southern Lebanon attempt to negotiate between conflicting factions while their task grows increasingly tricky because of recent intensifying tensions.
The human cost of this ongoing conflict steadily increases while mostly targeting uninjured civilians. The clash resulted in wounds suffered by women and children who became trapped in combat activity while trying to restore themselves to their residences. A paramedic was also killed while responding to the scene, according to health officials.
Local residents have described the situation as desperate. “We waited for weeks for this ceasefire, and now we are told it’s still not safe to return,” said one displaced resident. “We have nowhere else to go.”
It further complicates an already complex situation as tensions remain high along the border and no clear resolution to the conflict is in sight. Yet as much as Lebanese and international officials have urged swift steps to cool tensions and protect civilians, there are no signs that lasting peace in the region is within reach.
The recent fighting is a reminder of how tenuous ceasefire pacts are in a region marred by decades of conflict that have left deep scars and festering grievances. For those who live in southern Lebanon, however, the hopes for peace is overthrown with the bitter hands of violence.