BEIRUT, (PIC)
Israeli occupation forces (IOF) fired warning shots to disperse Lebanese citizens attempting to return to their homes in the town of Khiam in southern Lebanon, following the implementation of a ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel early Wednesday morning. The IOF claimed it fired warning shots into the air after spotting several vehicles heading toward prohibited Lebanese areas, as per its description.
The ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel came into effect at 4 AM Beirut time (2 AM GMT), ending military confrontations that have erupted since October 8, 2023. With the ceasefire in place, a large number of Lebanese began returning by car to their areas in the south.
U.S. President Joe Biden stated that Israel would gradually withdraw its forces from Lebanon over the next 60 days, while the Lebanese army would take control of the lands near the border with Israel to ensure Hezbollah does not rebuild its infrastructure there. The Lebanese army, for its part, said it is taking necessary measures to complete its deployment in the south according to the mandate of the Lebanese government.
The Lebanese army leadership urged citizens to “exercise caution in returning to the front-line villages and towns that have been infiltrated by enemy forces, awaiting their withdrawal according to the ceasefire agreement.” Lebanese Defense Minister Maurice Sleem mentioned that the Lebanese army would increase its presence in the south to 10,000 soldiers, according to Al Jazeera.
Israeli Channel 12 had earlier reported that the war with Hezbollah has resulted in the deaths of 124 Israelis, including 79 soldiers, since the escalation of the conflict in September. The Israeli army’s radio said that air raid sirens sounded 22,715 times in Israel due to Hezbollah attacks, including 16,198 alerts due to rocket fire and 6,517 alerts due to drones.
Additionally, the Hebrew newspaper Yediot Ahronot reported that data from property taxes indicate that over 9,000 buildings and 7,000 vehicles were completely destroyed in northern Israel due to Hezbollah fire. The Israeli government has so far paid 140 million shekels (approximately $38.4 million) in compensation for damages, with expectations of an increase due to ongoing evacuations and unreported injuries.
A poll conducted by Israeli Channel 13 revealed that 61% of Israelis believe their country has not won against Hezbollah, while 66% expressed support for ending the genocide in the Gaza Strip to reach a prisoner exchange deal. The ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel took effect early Wednesday, marking the end of more than 13 months of military confrontations across the border and two months of open war between the two parties.
