Israel Defence Forces ground troops have captured a strategic mountain ridge in southeastern Lebanon in their deepest incursion into the country in 26 years, the military said on Sunday.
Israeli forces seized Beaufort Castle near the city of Nabatieh as part of the army’s efforts to “eliminate the direct threat to communities in the Galilee Panhandle, including Metula,” it stated.
Troops have been advancing deeper into Lebanon for several days after crossing the Litani River, marking an expansion of operations.
Israeli forces are now some five kilometres, or three miles, from Nabatieh, a major urban centre and Hezbollah stronghold.
“The operation is focused on gaining control of the Beaufort Ridge and the Wadi al-Saluki area, while also intensifying the campaign against Hezbollah and destroying significant terrorist infrastructure established on the ridge with Iranian guidance,” the IDF said.
“In addition, the forces are operating against launch infrastructure in the area that was used to carry out hundreds of rocket launches against Israeli civilians and IDF troops operating in Southern Lebanon,” it added.
The military said the operation was one of dozens carried out in recent weeks as part of its ongoing campaign against the Iranian terrorist proxy.
“Forty-four years after the heroic Battle of Beaufort – and on the memorial day for the fallen of the First Lebanon War, including the Golani soldiers who fell in the battle for Beaufort – IDF soldiers, led by the Golani Brigade, returned to the summit of Beaufort and once again raised the Israeli flag and the Golani Brigade flag atop it,” Defence Minister Israel Katz stated on X.
“The IDF expanded its manoeuvre in Lebanon, crossed the Litani River and captured the Beaufort Ridge – one of the most strategically important positions for defending the communities of the Galilee and safeguarding the security of our forces,” he tweeted.
“This is a clear message to our enemies: Whoever threatens the citizens of Israel will lose their strategic assets one after another,” the defence minister added.
Hezbollah renewed its rocket and drone attacks on Israel on March 2, following the targeted killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during the opening stages of “Operation Roaring Lion” on Feb. 28.
In response, Israel launched a broad aerial campaign against Hezbollah targets and expanded military operations in Southern Lebanon aimed at preventing cross-border attacks on Israeli communities.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on April 26 accused Hezbollah of “essentially disintegrating” the fragile truce, which was extended for another 45 days earlier this month.
“Therefore, as far as we are concerned, what obligates us is the security of Israel, the security of our soldiers, and the security of our communities,” the prime minister said. “We are acting vigorously according to the rules we agreed upon with the United States, and incidentally, with Lebanon as well.”
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