Residents of south Lebanon's Aitaroun return home to devastation as Lebanese army completes operations

Report by Edmond Sassine, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian

A woman stands just meters from her home in Aitaroun, gazing at it as she waits for the moment she can return permanently.

Residents of Aitaroun looked at their town’s neighborhoods and homes from behind a barrier, waiting for the Lebanese army to complete its operations in the area.

By midday, relief came as Aitaroun was reopened, allowing residents to enter after the Lebanese army.

Amid the town’s ruins, residents spread out, inspecting what remained of their homes. They sat in front of them, struggling to believe what they were seeing.

One woman held a pine cone—the last remnant of her once-thriving trees.

While Aitaroun was reopened, residents of Yaroun continued their struggle to reclaim the remaining half of their town.

Meanwhile, an Israeli drone dropped stun grenades near a gathering. Some exploded, while others landed between the army and the crowd.

Yaroun's residents also set up tents at the town’s entrance, vowing to stay until they achieve full return and liberation.

In Houla, where large parts remain under occupation, residents gathered in the olive fields and along the roads, standing behind the army and counting the days until they could return.

Despite a smaller crowd, the scene mirrored that of Maroun El Ras, where just meters and a warning sign separate the Lebanese army and residents from Israeli forces and their snipers—much like in the occupied areas of Meiss El Jabal.