Israel controls the ancient Beaufort Citadel in Lebanon

The Israeli army announced on Sunday morning that it had tightened its grip on the ancient Beaufort Castle, known as Beaufort Castle, in southern Lebanon, following violent confrontations that included heavy fire cover from ground and air forces. This field development marks a remarkable turn in the course of ongoing military operations in the region. Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said on Telegram: "44 years after the heroic Battle of Beaufort, on the day In which we commemorate the soldiers who fell during the First Lebanon War in 1982, the soldiers returned to Beaufort Castle and raised the flag of Israel there again. "This announcement came amid an ongoing escalation between Israel and Hezbollah. This historic fortress sits on a towering rocky hill in the town of Arnoun, Nabatieh Governorate, and overlooks the course of the Litani River and the plains of southern Lebanon, earning it a strategic position that has made it the focus of attention of rival powers since the Middle Ages. Its construction dates back to ancient periods, and historians suggest that its origins stretch back to the Phoenician or Roman eras before it was rebuilt and fortified during the Crusader era in the 12th century. During the 1982 Israeli invasion, the citadel witnessed fierce battles between Israeli forces and Palestinian and Lebanese militants, as PLO groups took advantage of its rocky nature and ancient fortifications to resist attacking forces. Later as an advanced control point within the border strip until the withdrawal in 2000. The Municipality of Arnon condemned the Israeli shelling of the castle, considering it an attack on an archaeological monument that since 2024 has enjoyed “enhanced protection” in accordance with the Second Protocol to the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property during Armed Conflict. This heritage site, which was open to visitors and tourists, holds great cultural value and reflects the succession of civilizations on Levant