Live Updates: Thousands of Lebanese Try to Head Home After Israel-Lebanon Truce
April 17, 2026
Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militia Israeli forces are battling in Lebanon, avoided mention of the 10-day cease-fire but appeared to be adhering to it. A truce could remove an obstacle in U.S.-Iran peace talks.
A fragile quiet has settled over parts of Lebanon, allowing thousands of displaced families to embark on a cautious journey home following a United States-brokered truce between Lebanon and Israel that took effect on April 16. The 10-day cessation of hostilities marks a pause in a devastating conflict that escalated in early March, killing over two thousand people in Lebanon and displacing more than a million, which is about a fifth of the country's population. Despite the ceasefire, a profound sense of uncertainty clouds the return, as many journey back to find their homes and neighborhoods destroyed and unlivable.
The recent war is a resumption of major fighting that began in late 2023. A previous ceasefire in November 2024 failed to hold, with near-daily Israeli strikes and Hezbollah rebuilding its military capabilities. The latest escalation, part of a wider regional conflict linked to tensions with Iran, saw intense Israeli airstrikes and ground operations across southern Lebanon, Beirut's southern suburbs, and the Beqaa Valley, met with rocket and drone attacks from Hezbollah. The conflict has created a severe humanitarian crisis, with hundreds of thousands living in overcrowded shelters and essential infrastructure, including bridges over the Litani River, destroyed.
Under the terms of the current U.S.-brokered agreement, Israel and Lebanon have committed to a cessation of offensive military operations to allow for negotiations toward a more permanent peace. The agreement, formally between the two states, stipulates that Lebanon will take steps to prevent attacks by Hezbollah and other non-state groups. However, Hezbollah, which is not a formal party to the truce, has stated it will respond to any violations, and its conditional acceptance raises concerns about the ceasefire's stability. Israeli forces remain deployed inside southern Lebanon, and officials have reserved the right to act in self-defense, adding to the precariousness of the situation.
The immediate aftermath of the truce has seen highways leading south clogged with vehicles piled high with mattresses and personal belongings, as civilians, despite warnings from Lebanese officials to wait, are eager to return. Cars backed up for kilometers at makeshift crossings over the Litani River, hastily repaired after Israeli airstrikes. For many, the return is heartbreaking, with entire villages and urban districts reduced to rubble. The smell of death hangs in the air in some Beirut suburbs, and the immense psychological trauma of months of violence and displacement weighs heavily on the population.
The international community, including the United States and European nations, has welcomed the truce as a critical opportunity for diplomacy and humanitarian aid. The coming days will be crucial in determining if this fragile pause can transition into a more durable peace. Future negotiations are expected to tackle the contentious issues of Israeli troop withdrawal and the disarmament of Hezbollah, with the goal of establishing the Lebanese Armed Forces as the sole security provider in the south. However, with reports of early ceasefire violations and deep-seated mistrust on all sides, the path to lasting stability remains fraught with challenges.
Source: nytimes