Israeli forces captured the 900-year-old Beaufort Castle on a strategic mountaintop in southern Lebanon and raised their flag there while black smoke rose from Arnoun. The operation has rapidly expanded, including destruction of villages, indicating plans for an extended presence. Israel previously held Beaufort during an 18-year occupation that ended in 2000, and fighting continues against Hezbollah, backed by Iran. Israel has rushed in ground troops and intensified air strikes despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire still officially in place, with Netanyahu threatening to “crush” Hezbollah. The conflict risks complicating U.S.-Iran efforts to end the war in Iran, while Iran demands an end to Lebanon’s conflict as well. Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the invasion, citing scorched-earth tactics and collective punishment. Israeli attacks and demolitions have leveled villages and displaced more than 1.2 million people, while Lebanon’s public health ministry reports over 3,300 deaths, about 20% women, children, and first responders.
"“Our brave soldiers have captured the Beaufort once again and they will remain there as part of the security zone in Lebanon,” Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz said Sunday."
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