Israel Seizes Crusader-Era Beaufort Castle in Deepest Push Into Lebanon in 26 Years

Israeli forces have captured the historic Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon for the first time in 26 years, seizing a strategic hilltop fortress in what amounts to the deepest Israeli incursion into the country in more than a quarter-century.

The 900-year-old castle, known in Arabic as Qalaat al-Shaqif, sits on a rocky promontory near the city of Nabatiyeh, roughly 14.5 kilometers (9 miles) from the Israeli border, overlooking the Litani River. Built by Crusaders in the 12th century and protected as a UNESCO heritage site, it has long held outsized military value because of its commanding views over southern Lebanon. Israeli troops took the position after days of fierce fighting in the surrounding area.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz framed the capture as permanent. "Our heroic soldiers have captured Beaufort once again and will remain there as part of the security zone in Lebanon," he said, language that signals Israel intends to maintain an extended military presence rather than stage a temporary raid. Israel previously held the castle during its long occupation of southern Lebanon, which ended with its withdrawal in 2000.

The seizure came as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered forces to push operations beyond the Litani River, despite an April ceasefire that was meant to wind down hostilities. Israel has occupied large stretches of southern Lebanon since fighting escalated after the U.S.-Israel war on Iran began in late February. By the time of the castle's capture, Israeli forces controlled roughly 2,000 square kilometers (about 770 square miles) of Lebanese territory — close to one-fifth of the country.

Alongside the advance, the Israeli military issued fresh displacement orders for residents of southern towns and villages, warning civilians to evacuate ahead of operations. Aid groups and Lebanese officials have warned of mounting civilian casualties and destruction as the offensive deepens, with hundreds of thousands of people already displaced from border areas over the course of the war.

The castle's capture carries heavy symbolic weight in Lebanon, where Beaufort was a rallying point during the previous occupation and sustained significant damage in earlier fighting. For Israel, holding the heights is a tactical prize that overlooks supply routes and Hezbollah positions; for Lebanon, it is a stark marker of how far Israeli forces have advanced and how entrenched they may intend to remain, even as diplomats elsewhere press for a broader ceasefire to end the regional war. The fortress has changed hands repeatedly over the centuries, and control of its heights has historically conferred a decisive view over the roads and river valley below. For residents of the surrounding villages, the Israeli flag now flying over Beaufort is a vivid sign that the war that began in February shows little sign of ending soon.