The Lebanese army said it was sending more forces to southern Lebanon on Wednesday (Thursday AEDT) as a US-backed ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah militants took effect. Thousands of Lebanese displaced by the deadliest war between the two sides in decades began to return to areas ruined by Israeli strikes.

Bumper-to-bumper traffic jammed roads leading out of Beirut, the capital, as people sought to make their way back to devastated towns and villages in southern Lebanon.