Expanding Military Operations
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a deeper military incursion into Lebanon targeting Hezbollah, marking the deepest advance in 26 years. Israeli forces crossed the Litani River and captured Beaufort Castle, a strategic mountain location. According to France 24, the Israeli army has declared all land between the Litani and Zaharani River a conflict zone.
Strategic Capture of Beaufort Castle
Israeli troops captured Beaufort Castle, a Crusader-built fortress, located approximately 9 miles from the Israeli border. Defense Minister Israel Katz said forces from the Golani Brigade seized the site. The castle overlooks routes linking southern Lebanon with the western Bekaa Valley. Israel previously occupied the site for nearly two decades before withdrawing from Lebanon in 2000.
Evacuation Orders and Territorial Control
Israel issued evacuation orders for more than a dozen locations in southern Lebanon, extending as far north as the Zahrani River. According to Al Jazeera, Israeli forces now occupy about 770 square miles of Lebanese territory, almost one-fifth of the country. The Israeli military said the operation aims to destroy terrorist infrastructure and eliminate saboteurs.
Lebanese Perspective
According to France 24, the Lebanese army reported that a targeted Israeli strike wounded two soldiers in the south. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Israel's attacks on Lebanon amount to collective punishment. Al Jazeera reports that video shows widespread destruction after Israel repeatedly bombed the city of Tyre. Strikes targeted densely populated neighborhoods, according to reports from southern Lebanon.
Political Reactions and International Concerns
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council. According to NBC News, he stated that nothing can justify the ever-deeper occupation of Lebanese territory. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich praised the capture of Beaufort Castle as correcting old national sins and called for a permanent occupation. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir urged Netanyahu to flatten parts of Beirut.
Ceasefire Negotiations and Regional Implications
The advance comes despite hopes of a U.S.-brokered plan to forge a renewed peace between the two countries, after Israeli and Lebanese officials met in Washington Friday. The Israeli conflict in Lebanon has displaced more than 1.2 million Lebanese. A senior Arab official said American and Iranian negotiators agreed to the terms of a truce deal days ago but that both sides have delayed finalizing and announcing it.
Future of the Conflict
Fawaz Gerges, a professor at the London School of Economics, said Israel risks involving itself in a forever war in Lebanon. Israel has killed more than 3,350 people, according to Lebanon's health ministry. Israel says 25 of its soldiers and two civilians have been killed in or near southern Lebanon.
