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Guns fell silent across Southern Lebanon as a UN brokered truce
to end five weeks of fighting between Israel and Hizbollah came
into effect according to Lebanese security sources.
"Suddenly, just after 8am (1700 NZT) there was complete quiet in
south Lebanon," one source said.
Sources say Israeli air strikes and artillery fire continued until a minute or two before the truce. Hizbollah guerrillas were also holding their fire, they said.
Israeli forces will maintain their air and sea blockade on Lebanon despite the onset of a ceasefire with Hizbollah. "The air and sea closure will continue until a mechanism is in place to oversee and stop weapons smuggling," an Israeli military source said on Monday.
Some Israeli forces started withdrawing from southern Lebanon shortly after a UN brokered truce between Israel and Hizbollah went into effect, the army said.
"There are forces going out but there are enough forces that are staying" a military spokesman said. He declined to give any figures on troop movements. Israel had poured an estimated 30,000 troops into Lebanon to try to stop rocket fire into the Jewish state.
Thousands of displaced head back to south Lebanon
Several thousand displaced Lebanese headed for south Lebanon shortly after guns fell silent in line with a UN brokered truce to end five weeks of fighting between Israel and Hizbollah.
Hundreds of cars jammed a narrow road leading south from the port city of Sidon. Most roads and bridges to south Lebanon were bombed by Israel during the conflict.
The mood among the convoys was joyful. Some said they were going to check on their properties and then go back to the safety of the north while others said they were returning for good.
"I'm going to make sure my house is okay" Adel Abbas from a village near Tyre, told Reuters. "If Israel sticks to its word and continues to stick to the ceasefire, I'll take my family back home later today."
Many cars were hooting their horns, their occupants giving the V for victory sign.
"Since day one the Hizbollah told us that it will get us back our homes, and now it has delivered on its promise," one woman said, giving the V sign.
"Thank you Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah," she added in reference to
the chief of the Shi'ite Muslim organisation.
