Israeli Forces Seize Historic Beaufort Castle in Southern Lebanon

Israeli troops captured Beaufort Castle, a 900-year-old Crusader-built fortress on a strategic ridge near Nabatiyeh, on May 31. The seizure marks Israel's deepest incursion into Lebanon in more than 25 years. Israeli troops previously held the castle from 1982 until their withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000.

Defense Minister Israel Katz stated on his Telegram channel that troops had returned to the summit on the anniversary of the First Lebanon War. The Israeli army’s Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee posted a photograph on X showing troops outside the castle. Katz wrote that the soldiers had raised an Israeli flag over the castle.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on May 31 that the capture marked a 'dramatic shift' in Israel's campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon. The operation followed days of intense fighting and airstrikes in nearby villages where Israeli troops engaged Hezbollah members. Israel has sent troops across the Litani River and designated the area up to the Zahrani River a combat zone.

Some residents have left towns in the area between the Litani and Zahrani rivers due to recent strikes. Hezbollah claimed two overnight attacks targeting Israeli troops and a Merkava tank in the southwestern town of Bayada. The Lebanese Health Ministry reported that 3,371 people have died in Lebanon since March.

The Israeli army announced that one soldier was killed the previous day by a Hezbollah explosive drone, bringing its total military deaths since early March to 25. A nominal ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has been in place since April.