Raising Hezbollah flags, Lebanese southerners on Sunday defied Israeli threats and return to their villages as the 60-day deadline set by the ceasefire agreement for the Israeli enemy to withdraw from southern Lebanon expired at dawn.
A state of caution and anticipation prevailed on Sunday morning as the deadline expired at 4:00 a.m. (Beirut time), amid determination by the Lebanese citizens to return back to their home towns despite Israeli delay in withdrawal and long weeks of attacks and violation of the Lebanese sovereignty.
In the early hours of Sunday, the Lebanese southerners gathered in several points near their villages across south Lebanon to enter their home towns. Many of them crossed on feet, defying the Israeli enemy forces who set earthen barriers at the entrance of several border towns.
بالفيديو | استقبال العائدين في بلدة كونين pic.twitter.com/EKJt9oDK1w
— قناة المنار (@TVManar1) January 26, 2025
A high number of casualties was reported, as the Israeli occupation forces opened fire at the citizens to prevent their advance towards their villages. The Lebanese Health Ministry announced that 22 people have been martyred and 124 others have been injured in the Israeli atatcks.
Videos circulated on social media showed Lebanese citizens raising Hezbollah flags and chanting pro-resistance slogans as they entered their towns near the border with occupied Palestine.
In a video, Lebanese citizens appeared mocking the Israeli enemy as they stood near the occupation forces and tanks in the town of Yaroun.
Hebrew media was cited by Al-Manar as monitoring the movement of the Lebanese citizens in south Lebanon.
“Lebanese southerners return to their villages raising Hezbollah flags, how the Israelis will return to north?”, Hebrew media wondered.
Marches roamed several Lebanese regions celebrating the Southerners to their towns and village.
Israeli Procrastination
The 60-day agreement, which was brokered by the US and France, stipulated the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon.
However, the Israeli enemy has been stubborn on the issue, announcing that the occupation forces will remain in several points in the Lebanese territory, in a flagrant violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty.
The Zionist move to stay in Lebanon comes amid continuous violations by the Israeli occupation army across Lebanon, including drone movement, strikes, shelling and advance of infantry forces and vehicles.
Lebanese Army Deployment
As stipulated in the ceasefire agreement, which took effect on November 27, following a 66-day Israeli aggression, the Lebanese Army is set to deploy across south Lebanon, including the area south of Litani River.
However, the national army’s deployment has been delayed as the Israeli enemy refuses to abide by the deal.
On Saturday, the Lebanese Army blamed the Israeli enemy over the delay of its units’ deployment south of Litani River.
In a statement, the army command said: “There has been a delay in a number of stages as a result of Israeli procrastination in withdrawal, which complicates the army’s deployment mission.”
Source: Al-Manar English Website
