Israeli armed forces captured a strategic Crusader-era castle in southern Lebanon as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered troops to deepen Israel’s incursion into the neighboring country’s territory.
The capture of Beaufort Castle, near the town of Nabatiyeh and about 14.5 kilometers from the Israeli border, comes after days of fierce fighting in the area.
“The operation is centered on establishing operational control of the Beaufort Ridge and Wadi al Saluki area,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Sunday, adding that it sought to dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure in both zones.
The castle, which was built by the Crusaders on a high cliff overlooking the Litani River some 900 years ago, has long been considered a strategic location in southern Lebanon and has been occupied by Israeli forces during previous conflicts. The last time Israel held it was 26 years ago.
“The operation began several days ago, during which a significant number of IDF ground troops began offensive operations with the aim of expanding the Forward Defense Line,” the IDF said.
Photos released by the Israel Defense Forces on Sunday show Israeli troops on the ground near Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon. IDF
“From Beaufort Ridge, Hezbollah terrorists managed military and combat activities and carried out numerous attacks,” they state.
On Saturday, the Lebanese national news agency (NNA) reported Israeli airstrikes and “intense shelling” in the area surrounding the castle.
Hezbollah also claimed to have destroyed an Israeli tank near the castle. Three days ago, the municipality of Arnoun denounced Israeli bombings in the area and called on international organizations to protect the castle, NNA reported. Netanyahu praised the operation on Sunday, saying “we returned to Beaufort stronger than ever.”
“Our brave fighters captured the Beaufort outpost. They proudly raised the flag of the State of Israel and the flag of the Golani Brigade,” Netanyahu said. He added that Beaufort’s capture is a “dramatic step and a dramatic change in the policy that we are conducting.”
Beaufort Castle has been described by as “one of the best preserved examples of medieval castles in the Near East”. It was also one of 34 Lebanese cultural assets to which UNESCO granted provisional enhanced protection – the highest level of immunity against any attack or use for military purposes – in late 2024, following Israel’s ground invasion of Lebanon.
The castle was the scene of intense fighting between the Israeli military and the Palestine Liberation Organization in 1982, when Israel occupied southern Lebanon. It suffered “significant damage” during the 18 years of occupation, before the withdrawal of the Israeli military in 2000, according to UNESCO.
Despite the US-brokered ceasefire agreed by the Israeli and Lebanese governments in April, clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces have intensified.
In recent days, Israel has expanded its operation, moving deeper into Lebanese territory, and Netanyahu said on Friday that Israeli forces had crossed the Litani River, which runs about 30 kilometers north of Israel’s border.
Netanyahu said on Sunday that “now my directive is to deepen and expand our dominance over areas that were under Hezbollah’s control.”
The IDF said in Sunday’s statement that it had “expanded its operations against Hezbollah targets north of the river” and into “additional areas.” In recent days, he has issued a series of evacuation orders for villages north of the Litani.
In addition to taking Beaufort Castle, the IDF also said on Sunday that it had attacked what it said were Hezbollah weapons storage facilities and command centers in the coastal area of Tire and other areas of southern Lebanon.
The intensification of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah could jeopardize any agreement between the United States and Iran, which insists on including a ceasefire in Lebanon. US President Donald Trump told Netanyahu last week that he supported his “freedom of action against threats on all fronts, including Lebanon,” an Israeli official told CNN.
CNN’s Eugenia Yosef, Eyad Kourdi, Tim Lister and Billy Stockwell contributed reporting.
