Residents in Lebanon’s capital voiced cautious skepticism on Thursday following the extension of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel.

Israel and Lebanon agreed on Wednesday to extend their fragile ceasefire and establish several “pilot” security zones inside Lebanon where Hezbollah militants would be prohibited.

Many Lebanese residents expressed deep skepticism about the deal, questioning what it would mean in practice and whether it would resolve longstanding concerns over Israeli military presence and operations in the country.

“According to the terms of the ceasefire, it should not favor one side over the other,” said Suad Attia, a Beirut resident. “It depends on whether it includes a full withdrawal from occupied territories and doesn’t allow Israel freedom of movement based on what it alone considers a threat.”

Beirut resident Khaled Zaghloul called on Israel to guarantee it has “no ambitions to occupy” Lebanon once Hezbollah is no longer a threat.

However, Hassan Dakhlallah from Tyre expressed doubt, saying that based on Israel’s past actions, “once it occupies something, it does not withdraw from it.”

Hezbollah has not been part of the Israel-Lebanon negotiations, which have been conducted at the ambassadorial level in Washington since early last month.

New attacks

Israeli drone strikes targeted multiple areas in southern Lebanon on Thursday, killing at least one person and wounding four others, according to the state-run National News Agency (NNA).

The attacks came just hours after Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend their fragile ceasefire and establish several “pilot” security zones inside Lebanon where Hezbollah militants would be prohibited.

NNA reported that a drone strike hit a motorcycle in the village of Maaroub, killing one person and wounding another. In a separate strike earlier in the day, a drone hit a car in the village of Zefta, injuring a family of three Antoine Bouissa, his wife Terez, and their daughter Najat who are residents of the predominantly Christian town of Marjayoun.

Additional Israeli drone strikes were reported in the villages of Kfar Rumman, Kfar Tebnit, and several areas in the coastal Tyre district.

The Israeli military warned civilians not to approach areas south of the Zahrani River just south of the port city of Sidon stating that it continues to conduct strikes on Hezbollah facilities in the region.