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Dozens of Lebanese roamed freely in the ruins of Al-Matmura village, near the border fence facing the western Galilee on Sunday. The area was vacated by IDF forces on January 11, and the Lebanese army was expected to secure it and prevent residents from returning.
However, no Lebanese army presence was visible in the area overlooking Israel. IDF troops looked on, wary of possible anti-tank missile or gunfire that could escalate tensions and reignite the war with Hezbollah after the cease-fire in southern Lebanon ended overnight without an Israeli withdrawal.
Nearby, sporadic gunfire echoed as the military worked to prevent the return of Hezbollah terrorists, disguised as civilians, to restricted areas. Earlier, a senior correspondent for the Hezbollah-affiliated al-Mayadeen network, Ali Mortada broadcast from the village ruins. "Israel is having a very bad day," he mocked.
Meanwhile, locals hoisted Hezbollah flags and fixed them into the ground, while motorcycles and vehicles moved freely through the streets, with some riders approaching the Israeli border fence. "Anyone riding a motorcycle there is a Hezbollah operative," a young local said, requesting anonymity because he had family across the border.
Israel "can't stop the Sunni villagers from returning," he added, "These are their homes." A nearby shepherd, reflecting on the conflict. "War is bad. What's happening there isn’t good," he said.
Over the past year, most of the 2,000 residents of Arab Al-Aramshe located near the border with Lebanon, remained in their homes despite frequent Hezbollah drone and missile attacks targeting Israeli military positions in the village.
In October 2023, a Hezbollah terror cell infiltrated the village, killing three soldiers, including Col. Alim Saad. The attackers arrived from Al-Matmura, which housed vast stockpiles of advanced weapons and fortified combat positions, later seized by Israeli forces.
The area was handed over to the Lebanese army two weeks ago. Recent social media footage shows Hezbollah operatives, including civilians, attempting to reclaim destroyed border villages, taunting nearby Israeli forces who responded with warning shots.
"The Lebanese army isn't preventing Hezbollah's return to these areas, as Israel feared," Retired Lt. Col. Sarit Zehavi, head of the Israeli Alma Research Center think tank, said. Eitan Davidi, head of Margaliot’s local council, added, "We can't accept breaches or allow residents to return under these conditions."
"The situation requires maintaining strategic positions to ensure northern residents' safety. If Lebanon objects, Israel should be prepared to resume the conflict,” he said, addressing the agreement seeking to implement UN Resolution 1701 from 2006 which Israeli residents now fear is not enough to prevent Hezbollah from recuperating its strength in Lebanon and ensure their safety.
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IDF units remain on high alert, under political directives not to vacate key villages. Analysts at the Alma Research Center warned that Hezbollah was exploiting the situation to bolster its narrative as Lebanon's defender while undermining Lebanese sovereignty.
The terror organization seeks to provoke incidents that could escalate tensions, portraying itself as a protector of displaced Lebanese civilians.