Displaced Lebanese civilians are returning to the southern regional hub of Nabatiyeh as a 10-day ceasefire takes effect, offering a brief pause in the broader 2026 war between the United States, Israel, and Iran. The truce officially began at midnight Beirut time. The Lebanese Army has actively warned citizens to hold off on returning to southern towns. Military officials cite reports of intermittent Israeli shelling and localized ceasefire violations.
The return follows a heavy military campaign just hours before the deadline. Israeli warplanes unleashed an intense barrage on Nabatiyeh. The strikes destroyed the last functional bridge over the Litani River. The attack killed at least four medics from the Islamic Health Committee in back-to-back targeted strikes.
U.S. President Donald Trump brokered the 10-day pause after holding diplomatic conversations with Israeli and Lebanese leaders. This Lebanese truce operates as a direct offshoot of the broader U.S.-Israel war against Iran that began on February 28. Iran made a ceasefire in Lebanon a strict condition for its ongoing negotiations with Washington regarding the mining of the Strait of Hormuz, an escalating global conflict that has severely impacted international shipping lanes.
Since the conflict spilled heavily into Lebanon on March 2, Israeli operations have killed over 2,100 people in Lebanon. The fighting forced more than 1.2 million civilians to flee. Israel reports that Hezbollah attacks have killed two Israeli civilians and 13 soldiers in that same timeframe.
Hezbollah is not formally part of the state-level negotiations. However, Hezbollah parliamentarian Hassan Fadlallah stated the group will respect the truce strictly on the condition that Israel halts all hostilities. Concurrently, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Israel will still maintain a 10-kilometer security zone along the border.
President Trump has invited Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to Washington D.C. next Tuesday to establish the logistical framework for direct peace talks. Trump noted this will be the first meaningful talks between Israel and Lebanon since the defunct May 17 Agreement signed during the Lebanese Civil War in 1983. The 10-day pause represents a massive diplomatic shift. It is designed to provide breathing room to finalize a parallel, permanent peace treaty between the U.S. and Iran, potentially unblocking the global energy bottleneck.