Israeli forces seize Beaufort Castle, a medieval Crusader-era fortress on a strategic ridge overlooking southern Lebanon and northern Israel, as part of operations against Hezbollah. Multiple outlets report the capture is Israel’s deepest incursion into Lebanon in more than 25–26 years. The military says the move gives troops an elevated position that can be used to monitor and potentially launch attacks into areas of northern Israel.

The takeover comes despite a nominal ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon that had been announced weeks earlier and is described across reports as having been repeatedly breached. Several articles connect the advance to prior intense fighting and airstrikes in nearby villages and to a heavy day of Hezbollah rocket fire toward northern Israel, which led to restrictions such as school closures.

Reports also say the fighting occurs near the area of Nabatiyeh and that Israeli troops advance to dismantle or target perceived Hezbollah infrastructure. Some background notes recall that Israel previously captured Beaufort Castle in 1982 and later withdrew from Lebanon in 2000.