Published on 6/18/2026
As soon as the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran was announced, residents of the southern suburb of Beirut began returning to their areas that had been the target of Israeli bombing during the past weeks, but they were a somewhat cautious return due to what some describe as “the treachery of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.”
In the Bir al-Abd area in the center of the suburb, Al Jazeera directly monitored the return of residents to their homes, and spoke to a number of them who believe that life will return to a greater extent during the coming period “thanks to the resistance and the mujahideen.”
It is true that it takes some time, but it is normal after any war, as one of the returnees said, confirming that people have actually begun to return.
But another older woman believes that the return is not strong during the current hours because safety is not completely present, and any new movement will push people to leave again.
The actual return may begin tomorrow, Friday, according to the woman who said that the matter is related to “final negotiations,” without clarifying what she means by these negotiations.
A miracle came true
One of the residents described the return to the suburb as a miracle, saying that it was not expected, but it happened “thanks to the blood of the martyrs and prisoners,” pointing out that the return of people and Israel’s withdrawal is “a matter of time.”
The effects of the war are clearly visible in the suburb, and they are also evident in the decline in population numbers in the area, which was crowded with people in the period before the bombing, despite the return of some shops to open their doors again.
Lebanon is supposed to be part of the US-Iranian agreement that was signed late on Wednesday evening, but some residents of the suburb do not trust Netanyahu, whom one of the returnees described as “treacherous.” During her conversation with Al Jazeera Mubasher, the woman said, “No one is safe as long as Netanyahu is present. He is a treacherous person, but he will submit.”
Movement in the streets of the suburb did not return to its original state, but one of the drivers said that it had “returned 90% thanks to the heroes, and this is normal after any war.”
Those interviewed by Al Jazeera did not differ in their conversation about the inevitability of returning to the suburb and continuing the confrontation because their blood “is not more precious than the blood of the martyrs,” as one of the young men said, adding, “People are waiting for an official announcement of the return from Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Secretary General of Hezbollah Naim Qassem.”
The residents of the suburb “will not leave it because they were born there and will not sell the blood of its martyrs,” the young man said, adding, “It is true that people are anticipating the enemy’s lack of commitment, but they will return in the end because they only trust Berri and Qasim.”
Violent Israeli bombing
During the past weeks, the suburb was subjected to violent Israeli attacks that reached the center and outskirts of the capital, Beirut, and struck some of its most important areas, completely far from Hezbollah’s influence.
Two weeks ago, the occupation army issued a warning to the residents of the suburb to evacuate it completely, to which Tehran responded by asking the residents of northern Israel to evacuate immediately if the suburb was subjected to any attack.
US President Donald Trump intervened to stop the Israeli attack on the suburb, but Tel Aviv soon carried out strikes, to which Iran responded by bombing northern Israel in implementation of its threat.
The southern suburb represents the center of Hezbollah and its main area of influence in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, and it served as a red line in all the confrontations that took place between the party and Israel.
But Israel went beyond this equation in the last war and went so far as to assassinate the party’s former Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, his successor, Hashem Safi al-Din, and an unprecedented number of the party’s political and military leaders.
Hezbollah thanks Tehran
The party announced its rejection of the negotiations initiated by the Lebanese government with Israel under American sponsorship, and said that it would not commit to everything that would result from them. Its Secretary-General, Naeem Qassem, confirmed that the party will continue the confrontation until its end.
Two days ago, Qassem sent a letter of thanks to the Speaker of the Iranian Shura Council, Muhammad Baqir Qalibaf, praising Tehran’s support for the party in repelling what he described as the Israeli-American aggression against Lebanon. This is after Tehran insisted that Lebanon be part of any agreement with the United States.
Yesterday, Wednesday, Tehran announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the United States, and its Foreign Ministry spokesman, Ismail Baghaei, said that it had entered into force.
