Fragile quiet in Lebanon as US-Iran truce leaves unanswered questions

A significant story is unfolding on the international scene. Fragile quiet in Lebanon as US-Iran truce leaves unanswered questions8 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleHugo BachegaMiddle East correspondent, BeirutReutersAn estimated 50,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed in Lebanon during the warOn Monday, hours after the announcement of a ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran, families that had been displaced because of the war began to return to communities in southern Lebanon, despite warnings from the authorities that it was not safe yet. In a video widely shared online, some residents arrived by car in a village to find an Israeli armoured vehicle blocking a street. Exhausted after more than three months of conflict, the people of Lebanon hoped the truce would also stop the fighting here between Israel and the Iranian-backed armed group Hezbollah.

A fragile quiet appears to be holding, despite Israel and Hezbollah carrying out attacks over the past day, but many remain doubtful that this could finally mean the end of the war. A man called Abo Ali, who had been displaced from Jebchit in the Nabatieh area of southern Lebanon said his family "had returned, but with caution". Surrounded by heavily damaged buildings, he said: "All of this can be compensated for, and rebuilt.

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"Another man, Moustafa, was returning to the village of Aadshit, near Marjayoun, carrying only a suitcase. "For someone who's used to this area and has lived here, to come back and see this destruction is extremely hard," he said. But he too remained unsure if the lull in the conflict would hold.

"Israel can't be trusted," he added. ReutersOne million people remain displaced across Lebanon, most of them Shia MuslimsThe US-Iran agreement has not yet been made public, and it is unclear how it will apply to Lebanon. Both Iran and Pakistan, which acted as a mediator, said it included a ceasefire in the country - an Iranian demand that had become a key obstacle in the negotiations.

This round of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah started in March when Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in retaliation for the killing of the Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, at the start of the US-Israel war against Iran. Israel responded with a devastating bombing campaign across Lebanon and another invasion of the country's south. For Iran, including Lebanon in the truce was crucial in strengthening its image among Hezbollah supporters, who have been deeply affected by the conflict, and in reinforcing Tehran's influence domestically.

Iran has financed, trained and armed Hezbollah since its creation in the 1980s. Despite being weakened in the recent wars with Israel, the group, which is also a political party and a social movement running services including schools and hospitals, remains a significant force among Lebanon's Shia Muslim community. Last month, I visited communities in the south of the country, Hezbollah's heartland, and saw that support for it endured amid Israel's constant attacks.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.