Surviving Hezbollah terrorists & vile supporters DEFY Israel & flood back towards DMZ putting fragile truce to the test

ISRAEL’s fragile ceasefire with Hezbollah was under strain today as thousands flooded back towards Lebanon’s southern border cheering the terror group’s “victory.”

Queues of traffic built up along highways leading to the 20-mile buffer zone where Hezbollah forces and weapons are banned by the terms of the shaky truce.

EPA

Lebanese people wave Hezbollah flags in the Dahieh district in southern Beirut[/caption]

EPA

Civilians celebrate on a street after the ceasefire with Israel came into effect[/caption]

Lebanese civilians flew yellow Hezbollah flags from cars and others approached Israeli tanks attempting to conduct a measured withdrawal from Lebanese territory.

Lebanese locals appeared to be ignoring Israel Defence Forces warnings not to return to southern villages which harboured terrorists so early in the ceasefire.

TV footage showed people walking around the town of Khiam close to an IDF tank in breach of the guidance.

Another clip posted on social media showed Lebanese returnees had even reached the border wall between the Lebanese village of Kafr Kila and the Israeli village of Metula.

The ceasefire – announced by Joe Biden after approval by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet – came into force at 4am local time (2am in the UK).

But hopes of increased security began evaporating within hours as flag-waving Hezbollah supporters joined the returning throng.

Israel’s defence Minister Israel Katz said he was ordering the military to take “forceful” action to block what he says are Hezbollah members entering border villages.

Israeli troops are still operating in some of the communities after moving in to smash terror tunnels and weapons stores threatening Israel’s north.

Kat said that “due to the entry of Hezbollah members into Kfar Kila” he had ordered the military “to act forcefully and without compromises against developments of this kind.”

“If they endanger the IDF troops, they must be hit.”

The end to fighting officially kicked in at 2am this morning – with civilians flooding south to return to their homes.

Israel urged people not the return yet to areas in southern Lebanon – where much of the fighting has been concentrated.

The deal – which did not include Hamas – involves some 5,000 members of the Lebanese army being deployed to the south.

Hezbollah agreed to remove its presence anywhere below the Litani River just 20 miles from Israel.

Netanyahu pushed through the deal after nearly two months of conflict in Lebanon in which Israeli forces wiped out Hezbollah’s leaders and killed 3,000 troops.

But he faced opposition from hawks who want the Iran-backed group totally destroyed amid warnings that they will re-arm and attack again.

The Israeli PM vowed to strike Hezbollah again if it were to break the ceasefire.

He said: “If Hezbollah tries to attack us, if it arms itself and rebuilds infrastructure near the border, we will attack.

“For every violation, we will attack with might.”

He added that there were three reasons to pursue a ceasefire: to focus on Iran, replenish depleted arms supplies and give the army a rest, and finally to isolate Hamas.

Just hours before the ceasefire deal was signed off, Israel wiped out 20 Hezbollah terror targets

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said they targeted seven buildings used by the Iran-backed terror group for managing their funds – including a quasi-bank.

They also hit a Hezbollah air force centre, an intelligence base, a weapons depot and other military-style infrastructure.

Tel Aviv had vowed to wipe out the group after 60,000 citizens were evacuated from northern Israel.

EPA

The people defied Israel’s instructions not to return to the southern villages[/caption]

Reuters

Smoke rises after an Israeli strike in Hamra[/caption]

AFP

Civilians posing on a burnt Hezbollah rocket launcher in the village of Kfar Tibnit[/caption]