Israeli troops seize Beaufort Castle in deeper push into Lebanon
Israeli forces captured Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon, marking their deepest advance in decades despite a ceasefire.
Israeli troops captured the hilltop Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon on Sunday, marking Israel's deepest incursion into Lebanon in more than 25 years. The Crusader-era fortress overlooks southern Lebanon and northern Israel, and Israeli officials said troops raised the Israeli flag there. The advance followed days of airstrikes and fighting near Nabatiyeh and came despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire that remains formally in place. Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israeli forces would remain at the site as part of a security zone. Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the operation and demanded an immediate ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal, while France called for an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting.