BINT JAIL, Lebanon — Lebanese civilians defied an Israeli travel ban and streamed back to their homes in war-ravaged areas today after a U.N. cease-fire halted fighting in the monthlong conflict between Israel and Hezbollah that has claimed more than 900 lives.

Israeli forces fired on two Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon just hours after the guns fell silent, highlighting the tensions that could unravel the peace plan. But for the first time in a month, no Hezbollah rockets were fired into northern Israel.

Lebanese, Israeli and U.N. officers met on the border today to discuss the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon and the deployment of the Lebanese army in the region, U.N. spokesman Milos Strugar said.

Lines of cars — some loaded with mattresses and luggage — snaked slowly around bomb craters and blasted bridges outside Beirut toward southern Lebanon as residents began heading home to find out what is left of their homes and businesses.

Israel has not lifted its threat to destroy any vehicle on the roads of most of south Lebanon. But Defense Minister Amir Peretz said today that, aside from isolated skirmishes with Hezbollah, the cease-fire was holding and could have implications for future relations with Israel's neighbors.

In some places in the south, the rubble was still smoldering from a barrage of Israeli airstrikes just before the cease-fire took effect at 1 a.m.

"I just want to find my home," said Ahmad Maana, who went back to Kafra, about five miles from the Israeli border, where whole sections of the town were flattened.

In Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, people wrapped their faces with scarves as wind kicked up dust from the wreckage left by Israeli bombardments. Ahmed al-Zein poked through the ruins of his clothing and home-furnishing shop.

"This was the most beautiful street in the neighborhood," he said. "Now it's like an earthquake zone."

There were no reports of Israeli strikes on cars today — a sign Israel did not want to risk rekindling the conflict. But at least one child was killed and 15 people were wounded by leftover ordnance that detonated as they returned to their homes in the south, security officials said.

The rush to return and rebuild came despite a standoff that threatened to keep the cease-fire from taking root. Israeli forces remain in Lebanon, and Hezbollah's leader, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, said the militia would consider them legitimate targets until they leave.