Residents Sift Through Rubble in Nabatiyeh Following US-Iran Ceasefire Agreement

In the early hours of Tuesday, Aida Jleilati and her daughter Sukaina al-Muhtadi, aged 22, began searching through the rubble of their former home in Nabatiyeh, southern Lebanon, salvaging belongings that survived an Israeli airstrike in late May. They were among a small number of residents who returned to the ancient city to assess their homes following the announcement of a US-Iran agreement aimed at ending the broader conflict. Iranian officials stated the deal would also mandate an end to the Israel-Hezbollah war in Lebanon.

Jleilati and al-Muhtadi had lived on the first floor of a three-story building containing six apartments that collapsed entirely from the airstrike. Jleilati managed to recover most of her husband's scuba diving equipment and some clothing, while her daughter hoped to find a photo album containing childhood pictures. The family learned of their home's destruction on May 26 when al-Muhtadi saw the destroyed building shared on social media. "What can I say? All that we have gathered in our life has been wasted," Jleilati said.

Nabatiyeh, a centuries-old trade hub famous for its Monday market, has endured intense airstrikes and shelling since the latest escalation of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict began. The once bustling marketplace suffered widespread destruction, with bulldozers removing rubble and debris as residents cautiously returned. Although fighting in southern Lebanon has not entirely ceased, the frequency of strikes has decreased noticeably since the US-Iran deal was reached, prompting displaced residents to venture back and evaluate the damage to their properties.

Resident Kamel al-Kamel, a 75-year-old businessman, surveyed the remains of his supermarket and coffee roastery burned to ashes, estimating losses at $2.5 million. Walking with a cane, al-Kamel stated this conflict was worse than previous wars he had experienced, including the 15-year civil war beginning in 1975 and Israel's 1982 invasion. Israeli troops have advanced deep into southern Lebanon, reaching approximately 4 kilometers southeast of Nabatiyeh. Many residents remain uncertain whether the truce will hold, as previous ceasefires that took effect on April 17 proved fragile, with Israel and Hezbollah continuing their attacks.

Nabatiyeh holds significant religious and cultural importance for Lebanese Shiites. Since Lebanon's establishment as a state in 1920, the city and its surroundings have been a center for Shiite religious activities, with clerics maintaining strong ties to the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala in Iraq. Historically, religious scholars from the predominantly Shiite Jabal Amel region traveled to Iran in the 16th century, helping Safavid rulers convert much of Iran's population to Shiite Islam. The city is also a major center for marking Ashoura, a solemn commemoration of the 7th-century martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the Prophet Muhammad's grandson. The 10-day mourning period, which culminates on the 10th of Muharram, was set to begin on Wednesday.