Tens of thousands of Lebanese displaced by the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah are returning to their devastated towns and villages as the ceasefire takes hold, AFP reports.

The road from the Lebanese capital to the south has been congested since the early hours, with thousands of people heading home.

AFP journalists saw cars and minibuses packed with people carrying mattresses, suitcases and blankets, with some honking their horns and singing in celebration, with Hezbollah supporters declaring the truce a victory.

“What we feel is indescribable,” said one Lebanese driver on the road to the south. “The people have won!” Others, however, voiced quiet desolation. Returning to his home in the southern town of Nabatiyeh, Ali Mazraani said he was shocked by the extent of the devastation from the raids.