Israel Lebanon's army advances into more border villages

SDA

27.1.2025 - 10:51

dpatopbilder - People stand behind armored vehicles of the Lebanese army while a sand barrier and an Israeli military jeep in the background block the road on the outskirts of the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Kila. Photo: Marwan Naamani/dpa
dpatopbilder - People stand behind armored vehicles of the Lebanese army while a sand barrier and an Israeli military jeep in the background block the road on the outskirts of the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Kila. Photo: Marwan Naamani/dpa
Keystone

Lebanon's armed forces are advancing into numerous border towns in the south shortly after the ceasefire was extended, according to dpa information.

Keystone-SDA

On Monday, the army partially reentered the town of Mais al-Jabal on the demarcation line with neighboring Israel, according to security sources. Israel's army was still stationed in more than a dozen Lebanese towns and villages.

According to eyewitnesses, numerous people returned to their homes on Monday, accompanied by convoys of the Lebanese army. According to the ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Hezbollah militia, the Lebanese army is supposed to secure the south. Hezbollah is to withdraw behind the Litani River, around 30 kilometers north of the national border. According to the White House, the agreement was extended until February 18 on Sunday after Israel requested more time for the withdrawal.

"We are overjoyed that we can enter our villages despite the massive destruction," one returnee told the German Press Agency. "My son was killed here. I want to see if he was buried properly," said another man. A large proportion of the inhabitants of southern Lebanon are supporters of the Hezbollah militia or the Amal movement, which is allied with it.

112,000 internally displaced persons still in Lebanon - most have returned

According to the UN emergency aid office Ocha, tens of thousands of residents have now returned to the south, but many places in the immediate vicinity of the border remain deserted due to military tensions. According to the data, more than 112,000 people are still waiting to return home. However, according to Ocha, around 874,000 of the many internally displaced persons have now been able to return to their towns and villages.

The withdrawal of the Israeli armed forces will take more time in certain areas, explained army spokesman Avichay Adraee on Platform X. This was necessary to ensure "that Hezbollah cannot re-establish its military presence." He accused Hezbollah of stirring up tensions in the south. On Sunday, Israeli soldiers opened fire on returnees. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, 22 people were killed and 124 others injured.