A fragile calm settled over parts of Lebanon on Friday as a 10-day ceasefire brokered by the United States took hold between Israel and Hezbollah, prompting thousands of displaced families to begin the journey home — even as uncertainty, destruction and Israeli warnings against going back to parts of southern Lebanon clouded their return.

By early morning, cars were backed up for kilometers on the route leading south to the damaged Qasmiyeh bridge over the Litani River, a key crossing linking the southern coastal city of Tyre to the north. Vehicles piled high with mattresses, suitcases and salvaged belongings crept forward through a single reopened lane, hastily repaired after an Israeli airstrike just a day earlier.

Tom Barrack, the U.S. special envoy to Syria and ambassador to Turkey, told a diplomacy conference Friday that the “brilliance” of the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire in Lebanon was that it ended “senseless killing.”

“The brilliance of what happened yesterday is it stopped senseless killing and President Trump and Secretary Rubio stepping in strongly and saying we need a time out,” Barrack said at the conference in Antalya, southern Turkey.

Hezbollah said Friday that it was keeping its "finger on the trigger" in case of any Israeli violations of a ceasefire that went into effect overnight.

In a statement, the Iran-backed movement said it had carried out "2,184 military operations" against Israel and its troops inside Lebanon, adding: "The fighters will keep their finger on the trigger because they are wary of the enemy's treachery."

Iran's foreign ministry welcomed on Thursday the truce agreed between Israel and Lebanon, calling it part of the earlier two-week ceasefire deal struck between the Islamic republic and the United States to pause the Middle East war, state media reported.

Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei "welcomed the announcement of the ceasefire in Lebanon and noted that the cessation of the war in Lebanon was part of the ceasefire understanding between Iran and the United States, mediated by Pakistan", state news agency IRNA posted on Telegram.

A ten-day ceasefire deal agreed between Lebanon and Israel took effect on Friday, as U.S. President Donald Trump said he was trying to set up the first-ever face-to-face meeting between the leaders of the two countries.

The truce comes as Washington steps up efforts to reach a deal to end the war with Iran, with Tehran insisting a Lebanon truce must be part of any agreement.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday said he was concerned that a ceasefire between militant group Hezbollah and Israel "may already be undermined by ongoing military operations."

"I call for the safety of civilians on both sides of the border between Lebanon and Israel," he said on X. "Hezbollah must lay down its arms. Israel must respect Lebanese sovereignty and end the war," he added.

Two local leaders in northern Israel criticized the nascent ceasefire with Lebanon, warning it would leave communities vulnerable.

Hezbollah said in a statement that “any ceasefire must be comprehensive across all Lebanese territory and must not allow the Israeli enemy any freedom of movement.”

European Commission president Ursula Von Der Leyen welcomed a 10-day ceasefire declared Thursday between Israel and Lebanon that was announced by U.S. President Donald Trump.

"This is a relief, as this conflict has already claimed far too many lives," von der Leyen wrote on X, adding that it must lead to "permanent peace".

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he expected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanhyahu and President Joseph Aoun to visit the White House in coming days, after the U.S. leader announced a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel.

"As of two hours from now, we have a ceasefire with Israel and Lebanon. And that'll be great. And they'll be meeting -- probably coming to the White House -- over the next four or five days," Trump told reporters.