Israel seizes Beaufort castle in deepest Lebanon incursion in 25 years

Monday 01 June 2026 - 09:17

By: Dakir Madiha

Israel seizes Beaufort castle in deepest Lebanon incursion in 25 years

Israeli forces seized control of the medieval Beaufort castle and crossed the Litani River to push deep into southern Lebanon, marking the country's most significant ground incursion into its northern neighbor in more than 25 years. The advance, confirmed by the Israeli military on Sunday, shattered a fragile ceasefire and triggered sweeping evacuation orders covering large portions of southern Lebanon.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Friday that soldiers from the Israeli army's 36th Division had crossed the Litani River, advancing approximately 30 kilometers into Lebanese territory. Speaking during a visit to troops deployed on the northern border, Netanyahu stated that forces had crossed the Litani and moved toward commanding heights, and that operations were simultaneously underway in Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, and across the full front. On Sunday, the military announced the capture of Beaufort castle, a 12th-century Crusader fortress perched on a strategic promontory overlooking both the Litani River and the approaches to Nabatiyeh, Lebanon's fifth-largest city. Israeli soldiers reached the outskirts of Nabatiyeh, a major economic and cultural center in southern Lebanon and a Hezbollah stronghold.

The Israeli military issued sweeping evacuation orders on Sunday, directing all residents south of the Zahrani River, located roughly 40 kilometers from the Israeli border, to leave the area immediately or face lethal consequences. The military spokesperson warned that anyone in proximity to Hezbollah members or installations was putting their life at risk. The scale of the evacuation orders represented a significant escalation of the operational footprint, with effective Israeli military control extending well beyond what had been occupied territory before the latest push. According to one regional broadcaster, the Israeli military has established a zone covering approximately one-fifth of Lebanese territory where Lebanese civilians are prohibited from entering.

The offensive has torn apart a ceasefire that came into force on April 17 and was extended for 45 days on May 17 following U.S.-brokered negotiations. Israel and Hezbollah have traded accusations of repeated violations. The United Nations reported that 15 children had been killed and 62 injured in Lebanon in the week preceding the border crossing. Israeli and Lebanese military representatives had met at the Pentagon on Friday to discuss ceasefire implementation as part of a broader U.S.-negotiated framework encompassing parallel military and political tracks, with further discussions expected the following week.

The offensive carries significant regional implications. Iran has conditioned progress in its own negotiations with the United States on an end to the Israeli war in Lebanon and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory. Before the ceasefire collapsed, Israel occupied roughly 600 square kilometers of southern Lebanon. With forces now operating well beyond the Litani and evacuation orders reaching as far north as the Zahrani, that footprint has grown substantially. The Lebanese Ministry of Health reports that more than 3,200 people have been killed since the start of the conflict, with no breakdown between civilians and combatants provided.