Beirut: Five months of relentless Israeli bombardment have left the town of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh in southern Lebanon in shambles. Residents returning to the border town described massive destruction in their areas as homes were completely or partially destroyed, burned and vandalized, roads bulldozed and infrastructure widely damaged. The Israeli army withdrew from the town last week under a US-mediated framework agreement signed last month between Lebanon and Israel.

According to Anadolu Agency, the town lies south of the Litani River and is among the pilot areas included in the first phase of the agreement, which calls for a gradual Israeli withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territory, with the Lebanese army assuming security responsibility in areas vacated by Israeli forces, along with the disarmament of armed groups, including Hezbollah. Mayor Abd Ezzedine stated, "The scale of destruction is huge and extensive, and the damage is indescribable." He reported that Israeli forces destroyed around 260 housing units in the town, which is home to approximately 5,000 residents. Many houses suffered partial damage, with nearly half deemed uninhabitable and in need of demolition or restoration.

Ezzedine mentioned that some residents began returning from the first day they were allowed to enter the town. "Those who have a place to shelter or can sit in their homes have started returning and repairing what they can, but the numbers remain low," he said. Efforts are underway to reopen roads and restore infrastructure, water, and electricity.

Lebanese resident Ihsan Yaghi, 60, expressed shock at the scale of destruction. "Our house was burned and destroyed. Everything here was burned. Our whole life has been burned," she said while inspecting her home. Despite the devastation, Yaghi described her return as the "most important step." She uses social media to share residents' suffering, emphasizing the need for support from Arab, foreign, and local associations.

Mohammed, a 10-year-old resident, stated that his family's home was destroyed but expressed determination to rebuild it better. Thuraya Noureddine, 65, revealed that damage had affected all parts of her son's home, making it uninhabitable. Abbas, 46, who declined to give his full name, described the damage as "catastrophic," noting that Israeli forces left traces of their presence inside homes.

Ali Hreibi, 54, pointed out extensive destruction in his home, with bullet marks visible on walls. He described the damage as massive and accused the Israeli forces of vandalizing and destroying homes without mercy. The destruction in Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh occurs amid ongoing Israeli violations of the US-mediated framework agreement, with continued attacks on other Lebanese areas.

Since March 2, 2026, Israeli attacks on Lebanon have resulted in 4,330 deaths and 12,236 injuries, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. Despite the agreement, Israel continues to occupy areas in southern Lebanon, some for decades and others since the 2023-2024 confrontations, advancing more than 10 kilometers into Lebanese territory during the current offensive.