A ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah appeared to be holding on Wednesday, as residents in cars heaped with belongings streamed back toward southern Lebanon despite warnings from the Israeli and Lebanese military that they stay away.

Thousands of families displaced by the conflict are travelling home hours after an Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire takes effect.

For many across the Middle East, the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire came as a relief: the first major sign of progress in the region since war began more than a year ago.