Displaced residents have begun returning to Nabatieh, a city in southern Lebanon that bore the brunt of months of Israeli airstrikes, after Israel ordered a halt to military operations in the area. Families and business owners picked through the wreckage of homes and shops, assessing damage that reflects the scale of one of the most intense bombardment campaigns the region has seen in years. The scenes of return carry cautious hope, but also deep uncertainty about what comes next.

Nabatieh, located roughly 60 kilometres south of Beirut and long a significant urban centre in southern Lebanon, sustained widespread destruction during the conflict. The halt in Israeli attacks has allowed civilians who fled the fighting to travel back for the first time, though the physical evidence of the campaign — shattered storefronts, collapsed structures and scarred streets — makes clear that recovery will be a long and costly process. Many residents say they are relieved to see their city again but are not yet ready to call the situation stable.

The ceasefire's durability remains the central question. While some returning residents express cautious optimism that reconstruction can begin, others are unwilling to commit to permanent return until there is greater confidence that the fighting will not resume. Peace talks have continued in parallel with the military pauses, but trust between the parties remains thin and the underlying political disputes that drove the conflict have not been resolved.

Why this matters: southern Lebanon has experienced repeated cycles of conflict and reconstruction over several decades, and communities there are acutely aware of how quickly fragile agreements can unravel. The return of civilians to Nabatieh is a significant moment, but also a test of whether the current halt represents a genuine turning point or a temporary lull. International attention to the ceasefire's terms and enforcement mechanisms will be critical in determining whether displaced families can rebuild their lives with any lasting security.