The Israeli forces have announced on Sunday that, they have captured the historic Beaufort Castle and surrounding strategic ridge in southern Lebanon, marking a significant escalation in Israel’s military campaign against the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement.
Announcing the development in a televised statement, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu described the seizure of the centuries-old fortress as a “dramatic stage” and a major shift in Israel’s security policy.
The PM, monitored in Uyo, Southern Nigeria stated, the operation demonstrated the country’s resolve to take the initiative in the ongoing conflict.
According to Netanyahu, troops of the elite Golani Brigade raised the Israeli national flag and brigade flag over the castle after securing the position, which overlooks large parts of southern Lebanon and northern Israel.
The Israeli leader said he had directed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to deepen and expand their military operations inside Lebanese territory, revealing that Israeli troops had crossed the Litani River and taken control of key strategic positions previously held by Hezbollah.
“Today, we returned to Beaufort united, determined and stronger than ever,” Netanyahu declared, recalling that the site was the scene of a fierce battle during Israel’s 1982 invasion of Lebanon.
He claimed that, Israeli forces had inflicted heavy losses on Hezbollah fighters since the outbreak of hostilities, stating that about 8,000 militants had been killed since the beginning of what he termed the “War of Redemption,” including 3,000 during the current phase of operations and 700 within the past month alone.
Netanyahu further asserted that, Hezbollah fighters were retreating under sustained military pressure, while pledging that Israel would continue its campaign until security is restored to communities along the country’s northern border.
“The mission will take time, but we will complete it,” he said, while the capture of Beaufort Castle is considered Israel’s deepest military advance into Lebanon in more than two decades and comes despite ongoing international efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire between the two sides.
The strategic hilltop fortress, which overlooks the Litani Valley, has long been regarded as a key military position in southern Lebanon.
Analyst said, the latest offensive has heightened regional tensions, with concerns growing over the possibility of a wider conflict as fighting continues across multiple fronts involving Israel, Hezbollah and other armed groups in the Middle East.
