Lebanon is a house divided as its leaders negotiate and Hezbollah fights on
Hezbollah continues to resist the Israeli invasion while Lebanon's official leadership moves towards negotiations with Israel, exposing two sharply opposed visions within the country.
Despite the 10-day ceasefire that came into effect on 16 April, Israeli forces have continued their operations, with Hezbollah maintaining its retaliation. Thirty-seven Israeli soldiers were wounded in 24 hours, and two were killed.
Israeli troops have drawn what they call a "yellow line" - described as a forward defensive perimeter - stretching from the Bekaa Valley to the coast and extending into Lebanese territorial waters. Within this buffer zone, which includes around 55 towns and villages, a systematic campaign of destruction is underway.
Over the weekend of 18-19 April, blasts from controlled demolitions echoed across southern Lebanon as dozens of military and privately contracted bulldozers razed entire neighbourhoods.
Amid this climate of insecurity, Hezbollah and the Lebanese army urged residents who had returned home after the announcement of the temporary ceasefire to leave again after checking their property. Heavy traffic was reported on roads heading north.
The ceasefire agreement, published by the US State Department, appears heavily skewed in Israel's favour. It provides for a 10-day halt to hostilities, which began at midnight on 16 April.
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Shaza, sister of Hezbollah fighter Abed el Aziz Swaidan, and his fiancée Elissa attend his funeral amid a temporary ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, Tyre, south Lebanon, 23 April 2026 (Reuters)