"The army command emphasises the need for residents to delay returning to southern border villages and towns, and to adhere to instructions of the deployed army units, in order to safeguard their safety from the risk of Israeli violations and attacks," a statement said

Since early Monday, residents have been returning cautiously to several south Lebanon areas where Israeli forces are not present

A man looks at the damage as residents displaced by the fighting return to Nabatieh in southern Lebanon

A resident displaced by the fighting places a banner depicting slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah onto his car as he returns to Nabatieh

Israel's defence minister said that Israeli forces would remain in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza indefinitely, hours after the United States and Iran agreed to end the Middle East war, including in Lebanon.