Lebanon Reopens Key Roads After 10-Day Ceasefire Holds

Lebanon's military has successfully restored a vital road and bridge in the country's south, reconnecting communities separated by weeks of fighting. The reopening marks a tangible step forward as a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah continues to hold.

The army announced Sunday it fully reopened the road linking Nabatieh city with the Khardali area and partially restored the Burj Rahal-Tyre bridge. Engineers are also working to repair the Tayr Falsay-Tyre bridge, which suffered damage during the conflict.

These bridges cross the Litani River about 20 miles north of Israel. Strikes had effectively cut off southern Lebanon from the rest of the country, trapping residents and making basic travel impossible.

The ceasefire began Friday following the first direct talks between Israel and Lebanon in decades. The conflict claimed nearly 2,300 lives and forced more than a million people from their homes.

The Ripple Effect

The reopened Qasmiyeh bridge became a lifeline Friday morning as displaced families streamed south to check on their homes and belongings. For the first time in weeks, people could cross into areas they'd fled, reuniting with neighbors and assessing what remained of their lives.

Local authorities and military teams are racing to clear more blocked roads. Each reopened route means families can access food, medical care, and the comfort of familiar ground after weeks in temporary shelters.

The return isn't easy for everyone. Many residents watched heavy traffic Saturday as displaced southerners headed back to Beirut after brief visits home, still too uncertain about the truce's durability to stay permanently.

Some families are choosing caution over comfort. The memory of sudden violence keeps many in shelters despite the quiet roads now open before them.

Still, engineers work through each day restoring connections that war tried to sever, building pathways home one bridge at a time.