“Today we returned to Beaufort differently. We returned united, determined, and stronger than ever before,” B. Netanyahu said in a video statement.
“The capture of Beaufort is a dramatic stage and a dramatic turning point in our ongoing policy. We have overcome the barrier of fear. We are taking the initiative, acting on all fronts – in Syria, the Gaza Strip, Lebanon,” he said.
Israeli Defense Minister Israelis Katz earlier on Sunday said that soldiers crossed the Litani River and raised the Israeli flag over the strategic medieval Beaufort fortress in southern Lebanon.
Smoke rose from the surrounding areas, and AFP journalists saw the invading army’s flag flying over the castle. Israel used this castle as a base during a previous two-decade occupation.
The push towards Beaufort began after the Israeli army issued a mass evacuation order for areas south of the Zahrani River, north of the Litani, and about 40 km from the border, warning that its target was “Hezbollah.”
The army reported on Sunday that one soldier was killed the previous day in a “Hezbollah” drone strike.
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Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam accused Israel of carrying out a “scorched earth policy and collective punishments” and called for a “quick and real ceasefire.”
Israel confirmed that it is expanding its ground offensive in a statement released Sunday morning, stating that a “large part” of its forces are operating against “Hezbollah” beyond the Litani River.
A ceasefire between Israel and “Hezbollah” officially began on April 17, but it was never observed, and both sides accuse each other of violations.
In early March, Tehran-backed “Hezbollah” fired rockets into Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran’s supreme leader during US and Israeli strikes. This prompted Israel to conduct almost daily airstrikes in Lebanon and launch a ground invasion.
Israel and Lebanon began direct talks in April, with the fourth round of negotiations scheduled for next week.
