The Israeli military seized the 12th-century Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon, signaling a significant expansion of its ongoing ground operations. The advance occurs amid the collapse of a US-brokered April ceasefire, reigniting the broader 2026 Lebanon War that escalated heavily in March.
Following the capture of the high-altitude fortress, the Israel Defense Forces issued a sweeping evacuation mandate. The Arabic-language spokesperson instructed civilians to immediately vacate all areas south of the Zahrani River, designating the territory roughly 40 kilometers north of the border as an active combat zone.
The seizure represents Israel’s deepest military push into Lebanese territory since the end of its previous occupation, according to historical records. Beaufort Castle holds strategic tactical importance, having served as an IDF base during a nearly two-decade occupation that concluded in 2000. In response to the offensive, France requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the capture of the fortress and the deeper incursion a “decisive shift” in the military campaign against Hezbollah. Conversely, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the advance as a “scorched-earth policy and collective punishment.”
The newly established combat zone exacerbates an escalating humanitarian crisis. The conflict has resulted in over 3,300 deaths and displaced more than 1.2 million people across Lebanon.