Report: Lebanese return to the south after country’s army repairs bridge

By Nurit Yohanan

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17 April 2026, 8:38 am

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Nurit Yohanan is The Times of Israel's Palestinian and Arab world correspondent

Displaced people returning to their villages following a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel cross the damaged Qasmiyeh bridge near Tyre, south Lebanon, April 17, 2026. (AP/Mohammed Zaatari)

Lebanon’s Al-Mayadeen channel, which is affiliated with Hezbollah, reports that the Lebanese army has repaired and reopened the al-Qasmiyeh bridge, which had been destroyed by Israel, following the onset of a ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah conflict at midnight.

The army has also opened up new routes to allow residents to pass, after the IDF blew up the main bridges over the Litani River during the conflict and issued sweeping evacuation orders for southern Lebanon.

According to the report, there is heavy congestion on roads leading to southern Lebanon due to the large number of people seeking to return to their homes in the area.