JERUSALEM/BEIRUT — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday that he had ordered Israeli forces to expand their ground operations deeper into southern Lebanon, despite a ceasefire that has been in place for more than six weeks.
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The latest military advance comes amid ongoing clashes between Israeli troops and the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement. According to the Israeli military, forces have captured the historic 900-year-old Beaufort Castle and a strategic ridge in southern Lebanon following intense exchanges of fire.
Netanyahu said the objective of the operation is to “deepen and expand Israel’s grip” on areas previously controlled by Hezbollah. Israeli troops, which already maintain positions up to the Litani River, are now advancing toward the Zaharani River, approximately 10 kilometers further north.
The military also issued new evacuation warnings for residents living south of the Zaharani River as operations continue.
The conflict in Lebanon has become the largest regional spillover of the broader Iran-Israel confrontation. Since March 2, when Hezbollah began launching rockets and drones into northern Israel in support of Iran, more than 1.2 million Lebanese have been displaced by Israeli airstrikes and evacuation orders.
Lebanese authorities report that more than 3,370 people have been killed during the conflict, while Israel says 24 soldiers and four civilians have died. Tens of thousands of residents in northern Israel have also been displaced by Hezbollah attacks.
Israeli officials said control of Beaufort Castle provides a key vantage point overlooking large areas of southern Lebanon and northern Israel. It marks the first time Israel has held the strategic site since withdrawing from southern Lebanon in May 2000 after an 18-year military presence.
Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that Israeli forces would retain control of Beaufort as part of a security zone in southern Lebanon.
“The campaign is not over yet,” Katz said. “We are determined to crush Hezbollah’s power.”
Meanwhile, U.S.-mediated diplomatic efforts continue. Israeli and Lebanese defense representatives met in Washington on Friday to discuss a framework aimed at achieving peace between the two countries and disarming Hezbollah. Both sides agreed on May 15 to extend the ceasefire by an additional 45 days.
There has been no immediate response from the Lebanese government or Hezbollah regarding the latest Israeli advance.
