Lebanon's prime minister visited a heavily damaged village near the southern border on Wednesday as a phased Israeli withdrawal got underway. The trip came at the start of a Washington-brokered Lebanese-Israeli agreement aimed at easing tensions after months of conflict.
The visit highlighted the scale of destruction left behind in southern Lebanon, where fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah has badly affected border communities. By appearing in one of the shattered areas, the prime minister underscored both the human cost of the war and the government's focus on the next stage of recovery.
The agreement marks an early test of whether diplomacy can hold after a long period of violence. A gradual Israeli pullback is a central part of the arrangement, which is being watched closely as Lebanon and Israel move through a sensitive transition on the ground.
For Lebanon, the development carries both political and security significance. While the withdrawal is only beginning, the start of the process signals a possible opening for reduced hostilities in the border region after months of war with Hezbollah.
