In devastated south Lebanon village, residents count on army deployment

As Lebanon's army deploys in the southern village of Zawtar al-Gharbiya, Hassan Sbeih is among those reassured by the troops and hoping the move will soon extend to areas still occupied by Israel. Last week, the Lebanese military began deploying to the devastated village, one of the first "pilot zones" under a framework agreement reached between Israel and Lebanon in June. "I think the army has proved its success because people have started to return and they are comfortable with its presence in the village," Sbeih, 62, said as he waited at a bakery there. "There's been no friction with the locals. On the contrary, they've been relaxed," said Sbeih, who is from Zawtar al-Gharbiya but whose home is in the neighbouring village where Israeli soldiers are still present. "We can't reach our hom