A fragile pilot deal lets Lebanese families begin returning

Months of Israel-Hezbollah fighting emptied and devastated villages in southern Lebanon. In Zawtar al-Gharbieh, nearly half of roughly 500 homes were destroyed and many others damaged, according to the mayor.

A US-brokered “pilot zones” agreement is testing a step-by-step response: Israel is to withdraw from selected areas as Hezbollah disarms there, with the Lebanese army taking control and civilians allowed home. Zawtar is the first village handed over. A week later, about 15 families had returned, including Mahasen Faqih and Mohammed Sobeih, living in their grocery shop because their home is uninhabitable.

The approach is practical. Rather than waiting for a complete political settlement, a limited zone can test security arrangements and restore civilian access. Each safe return makes diplomacy’s human purpose visible.

But this is an early, disputed experiment. Hezbollah opposes the deal, Israeli forces remain nearby, and it is unclear whether troops had been inside this village. Most residents cannot yet return, reconstruction funding is uncertain and wider fighting could undo the progress. The pilot matters precisely because the peace remains incomplete.

Original reporting: Associated Press ↗