People walk past the rubble of buildings destroyed during the Israeli air and ground offensive in the southern Lebanese village of Aita al-Shaab, near the border with Israel on January 27, 2025. AFP
The deadly violence recorded by Lebanese health officials came when residents tried to return home as Israel was scheduled to pull its troops from southern Lebanon on Sunday.
Under a US-brokered ceasefire, Israeli troops were to withdraw from southern Lebanon by 26 January, with the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers deploying in the south.
However, Israeli violation of the deadline withdrawal left occupation forces in over a dozen villages.
Lebanon has subsequently agreed to extend the ceasefire deadline until 18 February.
On Sunday, Lebanon's health ministry said the Israeli forces opened fire on "citizens who were trying to return to their villages that are still under Israeli occupation."
It revealed that 22 people, including six women and a soldier, were killed and 124 more wounded.
The Lebanese army also announced the soldier's death and said another had been wounded.
Prepared to liberate villages
South Lebanon residents accompanied by the army tried again to return to their villages on Monday, official media and AFP correspondents reported.
A Hezbollah lawmaker said Monday that his group, alongside the Lebanese army, is prepared to liberate villages where Israeli troops remain, as reported by AP.
“The residents of these villages where the occupation remains are getting ready with our national army to liberate it,” Hassan Fadlallah said, speaking at an event in the southern city of Bint Jbeil, where Hezbollah’s reconstruction arm launched a rebuilding project.
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