The unofficial ceasefire during Eid al-Adha brought a temporary pause in the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel in southern Lebanon this week, Haaretz reports.

Despite sporadic Israeli army shelling and Air Force bombings of Hezbollah positions, Lebanon experienced reduced intensity in strikes early in the week.

This lull provided some relief to residents who had fled northward but returned cautiously, hopeful that their homes had survived Israeli bombardments.

1,700 Homes Destroyed

Damage assessment from the ongoing conflict revealed significant destruction, though less severe than during the Second Lebanon War.

Reports from the Council of South Lebanon indicated that 1,700 houses were destroyed and another 14,000 sustained partial damage, amounting to about $1 billion in structural losses. Agricultural land, including tens of thousands of acres of orchards and fields, suffered extensive devastation, exacerbated by the use of phosphorus and cluster bombs, rendering much of the soil unusable for years.

In response to heightened tensions, Hezbollah joined the conflict by launching rockets and drones towards Israeli communities, prompting evacuations and causing substantial damage to homes and infrastructure in northern Israel.

The ongoing hostilities have displaced around 60,000 Israelis from border areas, with additional communities facing persistent threats of missile attacks and drone infiltrations.

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Villages on both sides of the border, particularly Ayta al-Shaab and Marwahin in Lebanon, bore the brunt of the destruction, with satellite images and resident accounts documenting widespread damage to homes, roads, and public infrastructure. Some residents cautiously returned during the calm to assess the extensive devastation, hopeful for a lasting ceasefire that would allow for rebuilding and recovery efforts.

Read more at Haaretz.