Israel warns Lebanese civilians to not return to over 60 southern villages

The Israeli military issued fresh warnings to Lebanon’s citizens on Friday (Nov 29), not to return to 60 villages in the south of the country, as the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire appeared to hold. 

The military warned the residents of towns on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border not to return to their homes. 

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a map, showing more than 60 villages in southern Lebanon, that it asked to remain off-limits to civilians, adding that anyone who did would be putting themselves in danger.

Avichay Adraee, a military spokesman issued a statement saying that the Israeli military "does not intend to target you and therefore you are prohibited at this stage from returning to your homes." 

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However, as per the ceasefire deal, the Israeli forces will withdraw from southern Lebanon over the next 60 days.

The Israeli military was enforcing restrictions on returning with gunfire and shelling, Lebanon's state-run news agency reported. 

It further stated that Israeli tanks shelled a building in Burj-al-Moulouk in southern Lebanon. 

However, the Israeli military declined to comment on those reports.

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The IDF also issued a general warning to the residents of border towns in Israel, which had been on the target list of Hezbollah for months, and told them the border region remained under a "general closure". 

The ceasefire deal was approved on Wednesday morning, however, the officials in Israel and Lebanon have accused each other of breaching it. 

Earlier on Thursday, the Israeli military said that its forces fired artillery and also carried out air strikes against targets in southern Lebanon. 

Later, Lebanon accused Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement "multiple times", adding that they are monitoring the situation. 

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(With inputs from agencies)