The United States and Iran have struck an initial agreement to end their war. But, once again, Lebanon’s fate is far from clear.
Iranian and Pakistani officials said that the agreement included an end to the fighting in Lebanon. But neither the United States nor Iran have released the contents of the agreement itself. And President Trump has not publicly commented on whether the cease-fire extends to the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed armed group, there.
In recent months, Israel, which was not directly involved in the U.S.-Iran talks, has repeatedly signaled that it does not feel bound by such agreements. It has continued to bombard Lebanon, despite the announcement of several cease-fires in recent weeks.
On Monday, Israel’s defense minister, Israel Katz, said that the country’s forces would remain in the swath of Lebanese territory that they have occupied since the start of the war. He added that the area would be “cleared of local residents” and that the Israeli military would continue to demolish houses in the area.
The previous day, the Israeli military struck the suburbs of the Lebanese capital, Beirut, threatening to scuttle the U.S.-Iran agreement at the last minute.
The uncertainty in Lebanon reflects the country’s precarious place in the wider conflict and the waning credibility of recent cease-fire agreements there. For weeks, the country has been a flashpoint in the negotiations between the United States and Iran over a framework for peace.
Iran has insisted that any agreement with the U.S. extend to the conflict in Lebanon. The war there erupted after Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese militia, fired at Israel in solidarity with Tehran days after the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran began in late February.
But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has been intent on continuing his military offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon and has sought to disentangle the two conflicts.
He may lose that battle, depending on the extent to which both Iran and the United States expect Israel to wind down its military campaign.
Despite the announcement of the agreement, Israeli forces were still shelling Hezbollah targets and carrying out controlled demolitions in southern Lebanon on Monday, although witnesses said the strikes were less intense than earlier in the war. Israeli surveillance drones were buzzing over the Lebanese capital, Beirut. And Lebanese officials and Hezbollah warned families displaced from the south not to return to their homes just yet.
Hassan Rahal, who was displaced from his home in the southern town of Burj Rahal, heeded that warning. “Things aren’t stable yet,” he said from Beirut, where he rented an apartment when the war started. “I don’t know yet if this is a real cease-fire,” he added.
Others were determined to go home, despite the risks.
Hussein Jaber, 41, said he witnessed an Israeli artillery strike in the morning as he returned to his village of Mayfadoun, in the southern district of Nabatieh. But even before the strike, he was convinced that he would not be able to return home for good anytime soon.
“I was really shocked to see the scale of damage in the town,” he said. “Houses are leveled, mine was destroyed too. I can’t bring my family back here.”
Hwaida Saad contributed reporting.
