Israeli tanks FIRE on terror suspects breaching ceasefire in Lebanon as Hezbollah warns ‘our hands are on the trigger’

A CEASEFIRE with Hezbollah has been violated after terror suspects arrived in several areas of southern Lebanon, Israel said.

It prompted Israel to fire a “warning shot” – just a day after a truce took effect between Tel Aviv and the Lebanese terrorist group.

Hezbollah has since warned that its fighters “remain fully equipped to deal with the aspirations and assaults of the Israeli enemy”.

Its terror forces will monitor Israel‘s withdrawal from Lebanon “with their hands on the trigger”, the terror group said.

Hezbollah has been weakened by casualties and the killing of its leader Hassan Nasrallah and other commanders by Israel’s swift operations.

A ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah was announced on Tuesday night under a deal brokered by the US and France.

On Thursday morning, Israeli fire hit six areas within two kilometres of the Blue Line – the demarcation separating Israel and Lebanon. 

The strikes targeted Markaba, Wazzani, Kfarchouba, Khiyam, Taybe, and farmland near Marjayoun, according to state media and Lebanese security sources.

One of the security sources said two people were wounded in Markaba.

Israeli surveillance drones were also reported over the region.

The IDF said Thursday’s fire was a warning shot at the suspects for violating the ceasefire, The Times of Israel reports.

Lebanese families displaced during the conflict have begun cautiously returning to check on their properties, despite warnings from Israel not to reenter the border zone for their safety.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged residents to stay away from villages near the Blue Line until Israeli troops complete their withdrawal.

But Lebanon’s parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri encouraged citizens to return, creating confusion and further inflaming tensions.

The fragile ceasefire was already at breaking point on Tuesday night after refugees 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.

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

And locals ignored Israel Defence Forces warnings not to attempt an early return to southern villages which had harboured terrorists.

TV footage showed people walking around the town of Khiam close to an IDF tank within hours of the start of the true at 4am local time.

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

The ceasefire agreement announced late Tuesday ended 14 months of nonstop conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

Just a day after Hamas’ October 7 bloodbath, the Lebanese militant group began firing rockets, drones and missiles in solidarity.

Israel retaliated with airstrikes, and the conflict steadily intensified for nearly a year before boiling over into all-out war in mid-September.

The fighting killed more than 70 people in Israel over half of them civilians as well as dozens of Israeli soldiers fighting in southern Lebanon.

Some 50,000 people were displaced on the Israeli side, but few have returned and the communities near the northern border are still largely deserted.