Israeli military bans Lebanese residents from over 60 villages, opens fire on suspects

The Israeli military has imposed a ban on Lebanese residents traveling to more than 60 villages near the southern border, spokesperson Avichay Adraee announced on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday.

The restriction remains in place until further notice.

This comes after Israel reported opening fire on Thursday at what it described as “suspects” in vehicles entering the southern zone, alleging a violation of the recently established ceasefire with Hezbollah, the Iran-backed armed group.

The ceasefire, brokered on Wednesday, aimed to de-escalate tensions following weeks of conflict.

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Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah accused Israel of breaching the agreement. “The Israeli enemy is attacking those returning to the border villages,” Fadlallah told reporters. “There are violations today by Israel, even in this form.”

On Thursday, the Israeli air force also targeted a facility in southern Lebanon that it claimed was used by Hezbollah to store mid-range rockets. This marked the first Israeli airstrike since the truce began.

Adraee urged Lebanese residents to avoid returning to the affected villages, warning that moving south of the designated line “puts themselves in danger.”

Meanwhile, the Lebanese army accused Israel of multiple ceasefire violations on Wednesday and Thursday, underscoring the tenuous nature of the agreement.

The ceasefire, mediated by the United States and France, is intended to last for 60 days as part of efforts to achieve a lasting peace in the region amid the ongoing Gaza conflict.