Israeli forces have illegally occupied the 900-year-old Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon, as they continue their deepest illegal excursion into the country in over 25 years. The historic fortress, situated atop a prominent ridge near Nabatieh, was occupied as part of Israel’s ethnic cleansing campaign across southern villages.
Notably, the Israeli escalation occurred in direct violation of a fragile, US-brokered partial ceasefire; while the agreement was intended to restrict strikes on Beirut and northern Israel, it controversially left southern Lebanon vulnerable to the occupying forces’ ground maneuvers.
Built by Crusaders in the 12th century, Beaufort Castle remains a legendary strategic keystone. Perched high above the Litani River, it has survived centuries of conflict, famously captured by Saladin and later held by the Knights Templar and the Mamluk dynasty. In modern times, it served as a base for the Palestine Liberation Organization and was a primary Israeli stronghold during a previous occupation from 1982 until 2000, making the move highly symbolic.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the illegal occupation, accusing Israel of pursuing a scorched-earth policy. And, Hezbollah stated that it maintained no military presence within the castle walls at the time it was taken. However, its spokespeople confirmed that their fighters are actively engaged in a “battle of attrition” against Israeli forces in the surrounding rugged terrain.
The international community has reacted with deep concern. French President Emmanuel Macron and Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot strongly condemned the escalation, calling for an emergency UN Security Council meeting to halt the deepening occupation of Lebanese territory. Barrot noted that while France recognizes Israel’s right to self-defense, it “cannot justify the continuation of Israeli military operations in Lebanon and the ever-deeper occupation of Lebanese territory.”
The capture comes amidst a widening ground offensive by Israel that now places roughly one-fifth of Lebanese lands under Israeli occupation. Following the usurpation of the fortress, the Israeli military issued immediate forced displacement orders for multiple southern villages, instructing residents to flee further north.
