Among the casualties were two Lebanese Army soldiers; one was killed and one wounded. According to the ministry, the crowds were attempting to break through to villages occupied by IDF troops, after the deadline passed for them to withdraw in line with the November ceasefire agreement. Videos of the crowds showed them waving Hezbollah flags and holding portraits of fighters killed during last year’s war.

Several videos showed Lebanese civilians standing off against Israeli tanks, including one where a man raised his middle finger at a tank just inches away.

Though known primarily for its militant activity, Hezbollah also operates as an official political party, with seats in parliament and civilian supporters. It enjoys widespread support among Lebanon’s Shia population.

In a statement, the IDF said that its troops “fired warning shots to remove threats in a number of areas where suspects were identified approaching the troops,” and that suspects who “posed an imminent threat to the troops were apprehended and are currently being questioned at the scene.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in Friday a statement that the IDF would only withdraw if the Lebanese Army carried out its part of the deal.

“Since the ceasefire agreement has yet to be fully enforced by the Lebanese state, the gradual withdrawal process will continue, in full coordination with the U.S.,” he said.

The Lebanese Army, meanwhile, said that its failure to implement the plan fully was “due to the Israeli enemy’s procrastination in withdrawing, complicating the army’s deployment mission.”

Newly inaugurated Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said that Lebanon’s “sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable,” and said he was “following this issue at the highest levels.”

Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah, speaking with state outlet al-Manar, praised the civilians attempting to break through IDF lines, despite warnings, as “liberating their land.”

“We are in our land and the enemy is the one who turned against the agreement and violated the agreement, and thus the people are the ones who are liberating their land with their own hands and blood,” he said, adding, “We want the state to play its role.”

Another Hezbollah lawmaker, Ali Fayad, accused Israel of making “excuses” in order to “pursue a scorched earth policy,” making the return of residents to the south impossible.

According to the ceasefire, Hezbollah must withdraw its forces north of the Litani River, with the Lebanese Army occupying the south to ensure compliance. Israel has repeatedly accused Hezbollah of violating the terms and launched limited airstrikes against returning forces.

Hezbollah received the worst battering of its existence last year, beginning in September, when Israeli intelligence caused thousands of casualties among its members by detonating rigged pagers and other electronic devices. An air campaign then killed senior commanders, including longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah, along with thousands of fighters and much of its missile arsenal. The group failed to inflict any significant casualties against the IDF during its invasion, beginning on Oct. 1.

Despite this, most of the group’s estimated 60,000 fighters remain operational, if dazed. It still enjoys widespread support among the Lebanese Shia and extensive backing from Iran.