Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Sunday, May 31, 2026, that the military had captured the strategic medieval fortress of Beaufort in southern Lebanon, where it is expanding ground operations against Iran-backed Hezbollah.
βForty-four years after we left the Beaufort, we returned to it today,β Katz said in a statement, referring to Israel's withdrawal from the area in 1982. He added that the capture was part of efforts to secure northern Israel from Hezbollah attacks.
The Beaufort Castle, a Crusader-era fortress overlooking the Litani River, has been a symbol of resistance in Lebanon. Hezbollah did not immediately comment on the claim. The Israeli military has not released independent verification of the capture.
The operation comes amid ongoing cross-border tensions since the October 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, which triggered a wider conflict with Hezbollah. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has called for restraint.
