Nabatiyeh district, southern Lebanon – Zautar al Gharbiyah is one of the first "pilot zones" of the agreement promoted by the United States for the Lebanese Army to regain control of the south after the partial Israeli withdrawal. On the ground, however, the return of the displaced is far from being a reality. The explosions continue, the houses remain in ruins and uncertainty outweighs hope.
First modification: 08/04/2026 - 03:17Last modification: 08/04/2026 - 03:52
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Salma pushes the swing where her daughter is playing while waiting for permission from the Lebanese Army to enter Zautar al Gharbiyah. She wears a straw hat to protect herself from the August sun and dark glasses that barely hide the fatigue accumulated after months of travel.
Behind the playground, a Lebanese Army checkpoint regulates access to the town. A few meters further on, the destroyed houses begin, the facades opened by the explosions and the mountains of rubble that mark the landscape of Zautar al Gharbiyah.
It's a strange scene. A girl plays on a swing while, a few meters away, the soldiers decide who can enter a town that cannot yet be inhabited again.
Salma waits with her husband to check the status of their home. They are not back to stay. They have come to look, to recover what they can salvage, and to leave before night falls.
"The Lebanese Army cannot do anything. It cannot offer us security or rebuild our homes. There is no water or electricity here. There is only destruction," he says.
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Around them, the people constantly remember that the war is not completely over. Every once in a while, an explosion breaks the silence. Artillery shots and detonations come from the hill of Ali Taher, once again putting the inhabitants on alert.
Although the Israeli Army is no longer deployed within Zautar al Gharbiyah, it maintains positions in neighboring Zautar al Sharqiyah and retains firepower over the area. That is why many neighbors still do not trust that the return will be definitive.
Zautar al Gharbiyah has become the first major test on the ground of the so-called "pilot zones", the mechanism included in the agreement between Lebanon and Israel promoted by Washington.
The goal is for the Lebanese Army to extend the state presence in these areas as Israel moves toward a withdrawal and Beirut takes on greater security responsibilities, including the issue of Hezbollah's armed presence south of the Litani River.
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"It will take years to rebuild our homes"
But among the rubble of the town, the reality is much more complex than any agreement signed on paper.
Joseph looks at the ruins from what remains of his house. Under his feet was also his pharmacy, the business that allowed him to live and that has now disappeared. "This is Israeli terrorism. I have lost my home and I have lost my pharmacy. It will take years to rebuild our homes," he says.
Despite the destruction, he insists on an idea that many inhabitants of the south repeat: they do not want another war.
"We love life. We are against war. We just want to live in peace."
His phrase summarizes the contradiction that runs through these localities. The population wants to return, but the conditions that would allow a normal return do not yet exist.
The Lebanese Army returned to Zautar al Gharbiyah after the partial Israeli withdrawal. Its soldiers control the accesses, patrol the streets and try to show that the State once again occupies a space that for years was marked by the influence of Hezbollah.
In the town square, the military installs some solar panels to try to minimally recover some basic services. It is a symbolic image: a State that is trying to rebuild a presence, but that still lacks many of the tools necessary to guarantee a normal life.
The Army's mission also has political and legal limits. Soldiers cannot search private homes without judicial authorization and there is still no definitive mechanism on how to locate weapons or military infrastructure without provoking a confrontation with the local population.
Israel insists that the Lebanese Army must ensure that Hezbollah cannot rebuild its military infrastructure in these areas. Beirut, for its part, wants to preserve control of the process and rejects any formula that implies being under direct Israeli supervision. The answer to many of these questions will have to emerge from the next round of negotiations scheduled in Rome on Tuesday, August 4.
But before that diplomatic table, the inhabitants of Zautar al Gharbiyah continue to face a much more immediate question: what does it mean to return to a place where you cannot yet live.
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"They entered my house. They stayed here. They used my sheets to sleep"
Salima is 70 years old and has waited months to return to her house. The house is not completely destroyed. Some walls are still standing and part of the roof is still intact. But when he opens the door he discovers the marks of those who occupied the house during the war.
On one of the bedroom walls there are several inscriptions in Hebrew made with black charcoal. The marks of a bonfire can still be seen on the porch.
Salima remains silent for a few seconds before speaking.
"They entered my house. They stayed here. They used my sheets to sleep in," he says as he walks through the rooms.
"This is an occupation and I am afraid that they will return. I do not trust any agreement. Israel wants these lands."
His distrust is marked by memory. Salima lived through the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon until the withdrawal in 2000. For her, what happened now is part of a much longer story. "We are talking about more than 40 years," he recalls.
Salima's experience explains why for many inhabitants of the south the issue is not only military, but also historical. The current agreement comes after decades of fighting, occupation and displacement.
Ali returns every morning to what remains of his house. Like other neighbors, he has not returned to settle, but to recover something among the ruins.
Read alsoLebanon begins implementation of pilot program to establish safe zones in the south of the country
The town was bombed, several homes were destroyed and many families lost practically everything. Now the routine consists of opening doors that have been left standing, searching for documents, rescuing some souvenirs and leaving again.
The future of Zautar al Gharbiyah will depend on whether this first experiment can truly become a model for other towns in the south. But all parties know that what happened here is not yet a definitive solution.
The tension around Ali Taher Hill is a reminder that the ceasefire remains fragile. Hezbollah remains alert to any move it may interpret as an Israeli imposition, while Israel maintains its security demands and threatens to expand its operations if it considers its interests are at risk.
The regional escalation between Iran, the United States and Israel adds even more uncertainty to a process that is already advancing with enormous difficulties. For now, Zautar al Gharbiyah represents more promise than reality.
When Salma finishes her visit, she passes by the playground again. Her daughter rides the swing for a few more minutes before leaving.
Behind is the Lebanese Army checkpoint. Beyond, the destroyed houses and the explosions that continue to come from Ali Taher.
The Lebanese State has returned before its inhabitants. But as long as there is no water, electricity, security and guarantees of a definitive withdrawal, the return will continue to be just a visit.
Read also: What obstacles does the implementation of the announced ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon face?
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