Israel Says It Seized Beaufort Castle in Southern Lebanon, a Major Advance Beyond the Litani River

Why It Matters

Seizing Beaufort Castle gives Israel a strategic foothold to pressure Hezbollah, while intensifying humanitarian concerns and jeopardizing fragile cease‑fire negotiations.

Key Takeaways

• Israeli forces captured 12th‑century Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon.
• Castle offers strategic high‑ground overlooking Litani River and Hezbollah supply routes.
• Capture marks Israel’s deepest ground advance beyond the Litani River.
• Lebanese Prime Minister condemns move as collective punishment and cultural erasure.
• Israel aims to pressure Hezbollah ahead of stalled cease‑fire negotiations.

Summary

Israel’s military announced the seizure of Beaufort Castle, a 12th‑century UNESCO‑protected fortress perched on a ridge above the Litani River’s tributary in southern Lebanon. The operation, part of a broader ground push, represents the deepest Israeli advance past the Litani, a line long considered a de‑facto boundary in the conflict. The castle’s elevation provides a commanding view of the western Bikha Valley, the main highway linking Sidon and Tyre, and even the Golan Heights, giving Israeli forces a tactical advantage to interdict Hezbollah supply routes. Israeli officials, including the finance minister, hailed the capture as correcting past mistakes, while the move is intended to blunt recent Hezbollah drone attacks that have strained Israel’s northern front. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Salam denounced the seizure as collective punishment and an attempt to erase Lebanese heritage, labeling it an unprecedented escalation. He warned that the new Israeli‑controlled zone now restricts civilian movement across roughly one‑fifth of Lebanon’s territory. The capture also evoked memories of the 1982 battle for the same ridge, a painful episode in Israeli military history. The development deepens the humanitarian crisis, fuels displacement, and complicates the fragile cease‑fire talks slated for the coming days. By securing high‑ground leverage, Israel signals it will not withdraw without Hezbollah’s disarmament, raising the stakes for regional diplomacy and potentially reshaping the security calculus in the Levant.

Original Description

Israeli forces say they have captured the historic Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon amid an expanded ground offensive against Hezbollah.

The 12th-century UNESCO-listed fortress near Nabatieh overlooks the Litani River and is considered a major strategic military position.

Israel’s military has advanced beyond Lebanon’s Litani River for the first time since 2006, marking a significant escalation in its ground operations.

Israeli flags were raised at the site, which Israel previously occupied for 18 years before withdrawing in 2000.

Strikes in and around Nabatieh have killed a paramedic and damaged a hospital, while thousands of civilians have fled Marjayoun.

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam accused Israel of carrying out “collective punishment” and a scorched-earth campaign.

Israeli officials including Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir have described the capture as a strategic and symbolic victory.

Tensions continue alongside stalled ceasefire negotiations, with Israel insisting on continued military pressure and Hezbollah disarmament demands.

Al Jazeera's Obaida Hito reports from Tyre, Lebanon, and Nida Ibrahim from Ramallah, occupied West Bank.

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