ISRAEL’s fragile ceasefire with Hezbollah was at breaking point last night as refugees flooded back towards Lebanon’s southern border cheering the terror group’s “victory.”
Queues of traffic built up along highways leading to the 20-mile buffer zone where Hezbollah forces and weapons are banned by the terms of the shaky truce.
Lebanese civilians flew yellow Hezbollah flags from cars and others approached Israeli tanks attempting to conduct a measured withdrawal.
And locals ignored Israel Defence Forces warnings not to attempt an early return to southern villages which had harboured terrorists.
TV footage showed people walking around the town of Khiam close to an IDF tank within hours of the start of the true at 4am local time (2am in the UK)
Another clip posted on social media showed Lebanese returnees had even reached the border wall settlement of Kafr Kila next to the Israeli village of Metula.
The start of the ceasefire – announced by US President Joe Biden after approval by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet – was celebrated by Hezbollah supporters firing gunshots into the air.
And hopes of increased security began evaporating within hours as pictures of slain leader Hassan Nasrallah were seen among the returning throng.
Israel Defence Forces were forced to enforce a curfew to secure streets at dusk yesterday.
Commanders said they had fired at least twice at vehicles attempting to return to the south within hours of the start of the ceasefire.
Troops opened fire after identifying returning Hezbollah fighters, who fled after coming under attack.
An Israeli spokesman – who said a full withdrawal could take up 60 days – said: “IDF forces identified several vehicles in Lebanese territory with suspects in a restricted movement area.
“The forces fired to prevent their approach to the area, and the suspects retreated.
“The IDF will act against anyone attempting to violate the ceasefire agreement and will not allow any harm to the security of Israeli residents.”
Israel’s defence Minister Israel Katz said he was ordering the military to take “forceful” action to stop Hezbollah members entering border villages.
Israeli troops are still operating in southern Lebanon after moving in to smash terror tunnels and weapons stores threatening Israel’s north.
Katz said that “due to the entry of Hezbollah members into Kfar Kila” he had ordered the military “to act forcefully and without compromises against developments of this kind.
“If they endanger the IDF troops, they must be hit.”
Netanyahu pushed through the deal after nearly two months of conflict in Lebanon in which Israeli forces wiped out Hezbollah’s leaders and killed 3,000 troops.
But he faced opposition from hawks who want the Iran-backed group totally destroyed amid warnings that they will re-arm and attack again.
Hezbollah spokesman Hassan Fadlallah said the decimated terror group “retained the right to defend itself”.
US officials hailed the ceasefire yesterday and said envoys would be redoubling efforts to replicate the deal in Gaza.
Israel forces claimed to have killed 40 Hamas militants and arrested 300 more during an overnight raid at an HQ in a former school at the Gazan city of Jabalia yesterday.
The end to fighting officially kicked in at 2am this morning – with civilians flooding south to return to their homes.
Israel urged people not the return yet to areas in southern Lebanon – where much of the fighting has been concentrated.
The deal – which did not include Hamas – involves some 5,000 members of the Lebanese army being deployed to the south.
Hezbollah agreed to remove its presence anywhere below the Litani River just 20 miles from Israel.
Netanyahu pushed through the deal after nearly two months of conflict in Lebanon in which Israeli forces wiped out Hezbollah’s leaders and killed 3,000 troops.
October 8, 2023: Hezbollah began firing rockets, missiles and drones into Israel the day after Hamas’ October 7 massacre ignited the war in Gaza.
September 18, 2024: Israel’s spy agency Mossad carried out mass sabotage against Hezbollah when it blew up hundreds of pagers carried by the terror group.
September 26, 2024: Chief of Hezbollah’s aerial force, Muhammad Hossein Sarur, is killed in an Israeli airstrike blitz in Lebanon.
September 27, 2024: Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah is killed in a massive missile blitz in Lebanon.
October 1, 2024: Israeli forces invade Lebanon after Israel launched retaliatory airstrikes in Lebanon and the conflict steadily escalated.
October 13, 2024: Four Israeli soldiers were killed and 60 wounded in a Hezbollah drone swarm attack on base – the deadliest since Israel’s Lebanon invasion.
October 19, 2024: A terror drone attack launched by Hezbollah directly hit Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s seaside residence inside Israel.
October 19, 2024: Hezbollah also fired a salvo of more than 100 rockets into Israel, killing at least one person and injuring others in the northern region of the country.
October 31, 2024: Hezbollah’s new terror chief threatened to kill Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in his first national address as leader.
November 2, 2024: Israeli soldiers capture top Hezbollah terror commander Imad Amhaz and escape from Lebanon in speedboats.
November 15, 2024: An Israeli missile levels a terror stronghold apartment block in Beirut.
November 17, 2024: Israel’s military said mobile artillery batteries had crossed into Lebanon and began attacking Hezbollah targets, the first time artillery was launched within Lebanese territory.
November 17, 2024: Hezbollah’s chief spokesman Mohammed Afif al-Naboulsi is killed in an Israeli airstrike in central Beirut.
November 26, 2024: Israel launched fresh airstrikes in Beirut, just hours before news of the ceasefire broke.
November 26, 2024: Israel agreed to the terms for a ceasefire with Hezbollah.
But he faced opposition from hawks who want the Iran-backed group totally destroyed amid warnings that they will re-arm and attack again.
The Israeli PM vowed to strike Hezbollah again if it were to break the ceasefire.
He said: “If Hezbollah tries to attack us, if it arms itself and rebuilds infrastructure near the border, we will attack.
“For every violation, we will attack with might.”
He added that there were three reasons to pursue a ceasefire: to focus on Iran, replenish depleted arms supplies and give the army a rest, and finally to isolate Hamas.
Just hours before the ceasefire deal was signed off, Israel wiped out 20 Hezbollah terror targets
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said they targeted seven buildings used by the Iran-backed terror group for managing their funds – including a quasi-bank.
They also hit a Hezbollah air force centre, an intelligence base, a weapons depot and other military-style infrastructure.
Tel Aviv had vowed to wipe out the group after 60,000 citizens were evacuated from northern Israel.
