The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have captured a strategic 12th-century Crusader castle as it advances deep into the Hezbollah-controlled territory of southern Lebanon.
“Israeli troops have seized the 900-year-old Beaufort Castle and its strategic ridge in southern Lebanon,” Reuters reported on Sunday morning. “The operation, the military said, was focused on establishing control of the Beaufort Ridge and the Wadi al-Saluki area, while degrading the Hezbollah militia and its infrastructure on the ridge established under Iranian direction.”
Israel previously captured the fortress during the First Lebanon War of 1982 and held it till the withdrawal in 2000. After twenty-six years, the Israeli flag was once again flying over the historic ramparts. “Israel’s flag flew over the medieval castle of Beaufort in Lebanon on Sunday,” French news agency AFP reported.
Securing the fortress is part of a larger campaign to strip the Iranian terrorist proxy of its strategic high ground. Over 80,000 Israelis were forced to flee their homes when Hezbollah began launching drones and rockets from these positions on October 8, 2023.
“The operation is focused on establishing operational control of the Beaufort Ridge and the Wadi al-Saluki area, as well as degrading the Hezbollah terrorist organization and dismantling terrorist infrastructure that was established on the ridge under Iranian direction,” the Israeli military (IDF) said in a statement early Sunday morning. “From Beaufort Ridge, Hezbollah terrorists managed military and combat activities and carried out numerous attacks.”
Israel’s Ynetnews described the Beaufort Castle as a “strategic site etched into Israeli consciousness.”
Describing the historic significance of the fortress, the Associated Press reported on Sunday:
The Beaufort fortress, perched high atop Lebanon’s rolling green hills and overlooking the Litani River, has been a strategic military asset for many armies over almost 1,000 years.Built as a Crusader castle around the 12th century on top of previous fortifications, it has been used by the Crusaders, Saladin’s Jerusalem army, Mamlukes, Ottomans, the French mandate, the Palestinian Liberation Organization and the Israeli military until 2000, when it was partially restored and opened to visitors. The Crusaders named it Beaufort which is Old French for “beautiful fortress.”
The news of the rapid Israeli advance comes just days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the country’s armed forces were widening the ground offensive up to Beirut, home to Hezbollah’s main stronghold of Dahiyeh. “Our forces have crossed the Litani; they have advanced to controlling positions,” he said on Friday. “We are operating in Beirut, in the Beqaa, across the entire width of the front, and we are dealing Hezbollah a crushing blow.”
Israel was forced to launch the offensive after Hezbollah dragged Lebanon into the war on March 2, firing missiles on the behest of Iran.
The IDF on Sunday issued further evacuation orders as it moved into the terrorist-infested territory. “The push to Beaufort came as the Israeli military issued a sweeping evacuation order to areas south of the Zahrani River, north of the Litani and around … 25 miles … from the border, warning that it was targeting the Iran-backed Hezbollah armed group,” France’s AFP reported.
A “significant number of IDF ground soldiers” were carrying out “offensive operations aimed at expanding the Forward Defense Line,” the military disclosed on Sunday.
Hezbollah continued launching rockets and drones at Israel amid the ongoing ground operation. “Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in several areas in northern Israel, several projectiles launched from Lebanon toward Israeli territory were identified,” the IDF said on Sunday morning. “The Israeli Air Force intercepted most of the projectiles. Several additional projectiles fell in open areas in accordance with protocol. No injuries were reported.”
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY