BEIRUT, Lebanon. A U.S.- and France-brokered ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has held firm as of Wednesday, bringing an end to 14 months of intense fighting along the Israeli-Lebanese border. The agreement marks a rare diplomatic breakthrough in a region frequently embroiled in conflict.
The ceasefire, which concluded one of the deadliest confrontations between Israel and Hezbollah in recent years, has allowed thousands of displaced individuals to begin returning to their homes. Despite the truce, tensions remain high as Israel continues its separate military campaign against Hamas in Gaza.
In Lebanon, vehicles loaded with mattresses, furniture, and personal belongings streamed through the bomb-scarred city of Tyre, heading toward southern villages. Approximately 1.4 million people are believed to have been displaced by the conflict.
In the village of Zibqin, Asya Atwi returned to her ruined home with her family. “The important thing is that we’re back, against Israel’s will and against the will of all the enemies,” Atwi declared. “We came back to our hometown, and we will sleep on the rubble.”
Similarly, in Beirut’s southern suburbs, 67-year-old Zahi Hijazi visited his heavily damaged apartment, lamenting, “Our lifetime’s savings … All this destruction.”
Hezbollah, weakened by casualties and the assassination of its leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah during the conflict, issued its first statement since the truce. While refraining from directly acknowledging the ceasefire, the group vowed continued resistance.
“Our fighters remain fully equipped to deal with the aspirations and assaults of the Israeli enemy,” said Hezbollah’s operations center. The group emphasized its readiness, stating it would monitor Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon “with their hands on the trigger.”
The conflict claimed at least 3,768 lives in Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry, leaving widespread destruction in its wake. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the ceasefire as “the first ray of hope” in the ongoing Middle East turmoil.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi welcomed the truce, hoping for a permanent resolution.
The ceasefire signals a moment of relief but underscores the region’s fragile peace. As Lebanese families return to rebuild their lives, the international community watches closely to see whether this diplomatic success can pave the way for broader stability.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
