Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire begins but displaced Lebanese warned not to return south yet

Dozens of cars seen leaving coastal city of Sidon for southern villages after deal announced

A man buys bread on his way back to southern Lebanon after a ceasefire took effect. Reuters

Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza

A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah came into effect on Wednesday, the first pause in Israel's war on Lebanon that has killed more than 3,700 people in the past year.

The deal, announced by US President Joe Biden late on Tuesday, began at 4am local time and is designed to be a “permanent cessation of hostilities”.

Israeli jets flew over Beirut and launched a wave of heavy air strikes across the city shortly before the deal was announced, with at least 20 bombardments shaking the capital in about two minutes. Strikes also hit the capital's Nuwairi neighbourhood seconds after the US announcement, although no attacks were reported on Wednesday morning.

More than 1.4 million people in Lebanon have been displaced by Israeli attacks since the war began last October, while thousands have also been displaced by Hezbollah rocket fire in northern Israel.

Israeli troops currently occupying villages in south Lebanon will stage a phased withdrawal over the next 60 days, according to the agreement. Displaced Lebanese and Israeli civilians would then be able to return to their homes.

The US and France, acting as guarantors, said they will work to ensure the ceasefire is “fully implemented and enforced”.

“We remain determined to prevent this conflict from becoming another cycle of violence,” they said in a joint statement.

Cars carrying people displaced from southern Lebanon began heading south early on Wednesday, with dozens leaving the port city of Sidon shortly after the deal was announced.

The Israeli army, however, has said displaced Lebanese are prohibited from returning to villages occupied by Israeli troops or near army positions. In a statement posted hours after the ceasefire came into effect, army spokesman Col Avichay Adraee told people to “refrain from moving to the area”, adding that “we will inform you when it is safe to return home”.

The Lebanese army also said civilians should await an Israeli withdrawal from the area, warning displaced residents not to immediately return to “frontline” towns and villages.

The army command called on displaced citizens to wait “in accordance with the ceasefire agreement” and follow the instructions of Lebanese military units stationed in the area, who are coordinating with the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon.

Israeli shelling was reported on several areas of south Lebanon on Wednesday afternoon, including the towns of Kfar Kila and Khiam, which state media described as “terrorising locals”.

The Israeli army said it had fired “warning shots” at suspects approaching a “no-go zone” in Lebanese territory.

Heavy drone flights were also reported across the central Bekaa valley, where convoys of displaced Lebanese returned throughout Wednesday morning after weeks of Israeli attacks.

It also said civilians must “exercise caution” and be aware of unexploded ordinances and “suspicious objects” left behind by the Israeli army.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his security cabinet approved the deal with 10 votes in favour and one against.

The agreement has been widely praised by international leaders. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said the deal was “an essential step towards calm and stability” in the country.

The ceasefire talks between Hezbollah and Israel were mediated by US envoy Amos Hochstein, who has toured the region several times over the past year to broker an agreement.

Hezbollah began rocket fire on Israel on October 8 last year at the start of the war in Gaza and has continued launches “in solidarity with the Palestinian people” and later in defence of Lebanon.

Israel has launched daily air strikes across the country, which escalated in September, before launching a ground invasion on October 1.

The attacks have wiped entire villages off the map and eliminated much of Hezbollah's top leadership, including longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah.