A fragile ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel continues to crumble in southern Lebanon, leaving residents living in fear nearly a year after the agreement was brokered by the United States and France. Despite the truce, frequent Israeli military operations and shelling – documented by lebanese security forces as over 2,200 ground, aerial, and naval violations since November 26 – are hindering reconstruction and displacing families. This ongoing instability raises serious concerns about the potential for renewed, full-scale conflict, as detailed in reporting from the region.
Marjayoun, South Lebanon – Despite a ceasefire agreement brokered last year, residents returning to their homes in southern Lebanon are living under a cloud of fear as Israeli strikes and shelling continue, raising concerns about the fragility of the truce.
The Israeli military maintains it conducts operations in Lebanon targeting Hezbollah “threats,” and residents report frequent Israeli reconnaissance flights over the border region. The ongoing tensions are creating a climate of uncertainty for those attempting to rebuild their lives.
Lebanese security and official sources report 2,223 ground violations, 3,033 aerial breaches, and 171 naval infractions of the ceasefire agreement as of November 26. The continued breaches underscore the precariousness of the situation.
According to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health, approximately 339 people have been killed and 978 injured since the ceasefire took effect. The casualties highlight the human cost of the ongoing conflict.
Faiza Nasrallah, a 50-year-old resident, described the ceasefire as “a truce on paper only.” Sitting amidst the rubble of her destroyed home in the town of Khiam, in eastern south Lebanon, she told news agencies, “The southern areas are not safe and are unstable. People are working at half capacity, the streets are empty in the evenings, and farmers are hesitant to enter their lands for fear of escalation or sudden aerial strikes.”
“We sleep with fear, and we wake up with the same fear,” Nasrallah added. “The ceasefire exists on paper only, and the land here tells a different story.”
Nasrallah’s family is renting a small apartment near their demolished home, hoping to rebuild, “but that seems impossible at the present time.” She explained that the Israeli military is targeting excavation equipment and infrastructure repair efforts, as well as damaged and destroyed homes.
“There is nothing reassuring here. Our bags are packed for a quick departure with the first Israeli warning, as the Israeli military machine shows no mercy,” she said.
On November 23, Hezbollah announced that one of its commanders, Haytham Ali Tabatabaei, and four fighters were killed in an Israeli airstrike on the southern outskirts of Beirut. The Israeli military confirmed it killed Tabatabaei, identifying him as a “Hezbollah operations chief.”
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned Wednesday that Lebanon would not enjoy peace and stability without guarantees for Israel’s security, amid escalating Israeli attacks on Lebanon. The statement reflects a hardening stance from Israeli officials.
These threats come despite the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, which has been in effect since November 27, 2024, and was facilitated by the United States and France.
Hassan Dawood, 26, described the ceasefire as “unstable,” adding that “any field friction could quickly ignite the border and the south in general without any controls.” He visits his town, Mays al-Jabal, periodically for brief trips.
Dawood likened the agreement to “a leaky umbrella, especially since it lacks any real international guarantees.” He stated, “Given this reality, we are not convinced that there is a ceasefire, as the Israeli army violates it daily without accountability.”
The Lebanese Army has increased its presence along the border, establishing over 200 military posts since November 27, 2024. Military sources indicate troop numbers have risen from approximately 4,500 to around 10,000.
However, sources say the Israeli military’s occupation of five key positions prevents the full deployment of Lebanese forces to the Blue Line, the internationally recognized border between Lebanon and Israel. A topographical team from the Lebanese Army determined that the Israeli military occupies approximately 11,391,862 square meters of territory in the border region.
Political analyst Dr. Nidal Issa believes little has changed regarding the Israeli military’s actions, which continue to target objectives “as it pleases” even after the ceasefire.
Issa told news agencies, “Israel has exploited the American cover and the lack of a deterrent position from the United Nations and the committee headed by an American in stopping the daily attacks on Lebanon under the pretext of striking Hezbollah movements, despite the latter’s commitment to all the terms of the ceasefire.”
He warned that the situation could escalate into a larger Israeli military operation, potentially extending beyond southern Lebanon to the southern suburbs of Beirut and northern and eastern Lebanon, despite intensive diplomatic efforts by Arab and foreign countries to prevent further escalation. “The situation is far from stable,” he said.
“Israel is using a policy of constant pressure to prevent any return to normal life in the south and to keep this southern region isolated and uninhabited,” Issa explained.
Thus, the south remains suspended between a truce struggling to hold and a reality that residents fear will at any moment devolve into a new and devastating confrontation, according to Issa.
