Residents of southern Lebanon begin returning home as ceasefire comes into effect

Cars carrying people who had evacuated from southern Lebanon in recent months began heading south early on Wednesday after a ceasefire between the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah and Israel came into effect.

Reuters reported that at around 4:00 a.m. local time, when the ceasefire came into force, dozens of vehicles were seen leaving Sidon, south of Beirut, en route for southern Lebanon. 

Israeli state broadcaster KAN reported that some residents of the southern Lebanese village of Deir Qanoun En Nahr and the city of Nabatiyeh had returned to their homes. 

ירי זיקוקים בנבטיה שבדרום לבנון עם חזרת העקורים | תיעוד@nurityohanan https://t.co/tv7LECkjKE pic.twitter.com/29gUYChAFU

— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) November 27, 2024

The Lebanese military asked on Wednesday morning that residents of villages on the Lebanese border delay returning home until IDF troops had left the area. 

IDF issues warnings

Minutes after the ceasefire had taken effect, IDF Spokesperson in Arabic, Col. Avichay Adraee, issued a warning in a post on X/Twitter to residents of southern Lebanon who had previously evacuated not to return to the villages in which the IDF was deployed. 

"You are prohibited from heading towards the villages that the IDF has ordered to be evacuated or towards IDF forces in the area," Adraee wrote, adding, "For your safety and the safety of your family members, refrain from moving to the area."

He noted that the IDF would inform the residents when they could safely return home.