Israeli military urges south Lebanon residents to avoid restricted areas

Israeli military on Monday warned residents in southern Lebanon not to move south of a specified line of villages or approach areas near the Litani River, saying its forces remain deployed in the area during a ceasefire due to what it described as potentially continued Hezbollah activity. In a statement, military spokesperson Avichay Adraee also urged civilians not to return to multiple border villages until further notice, citing security risks. Tens of thousands of displaced Lebanese families have started to return to their southern homeland despite ongoing Israeli shelling and home demolitions near the border. Saturday saw a steady stream of vehicles loaded with mattresses, bags and flags as families travelled south to evaluate the condition of their homes. This tentative homecoming follows a 10-day truce between Lebanon and Israel, though the Lebanese army has advised residents to postpone their return while Hezbollah warns it has its "finger on the trigger" should Israel breach the agreement. Read: Trump sends negotiators for Islamabad Round 2 Many returnees found their homes destroyed or damaged beyond habitation, making them hesitant to stay, as fears persist that the delicate ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel might unravel. Israeli Defence Minister Katz said on Sunday that the military had been instructed to use “full force” in Lebanon even during the ongoing ceasefire. “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have instructed the IDF to act with full force, both on the ground and from the air, including during the ceasefire, in order to protect our soldiers in Lebanon from any threat,” Katz said at a function in the occupied West Bank. He said that the military had also been ordered “to remove the houses in the (frontline) villages near the border that served in every respect as Hezbollah terror outposts and threatened Israeli communities,” Katz added.