The IDF on Sunday provided further details about the large-scale operation launched in southern Lebanon aimed at destroying major Hezbollah infrastructure north of the Litani River.
Forces have captured the strategic Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon and are establishing themselves in the area as part of a broader ground operation in the Beaufort Ridge and Saluki stream area, the IDF said.
The Beaufort area, north of the Litani, was one of Hezbollah’s most strategically important strongholds due to its commanding position overlooking wide areas of southern Lebanon and the Israeli border. The centuries-old Crusader-era fortress, perched atop a dominant ridge near the Litani River bend, has long been regarded as one of the most sensitive and strategically significant positions in southern Lebanon.
Before the First Lebanon War in 1982, Beaufort Castle was held by PLO terrorists, who took advantage of its elevated position to fire Katyusha rockets and mortars at Israeli yishuvim in the Galil. At the beginning of the war, on the night of June 6-7, IDF troops from the Golani Reconnaissance Unit captured the fortress but at a very heavy price, with six commanders and soldiers losing their lives in the battle.
In 1985, IDF soldiers withdrew to the security zone, but troops remained at the Beaufort Castle for another 15 years, constantly under Hezbollah fire. There were so many IDF soldiers killed by Hezbollah attacks on the route leading to the castle that it was dubbed the “axis of blood.”
The IDF presence at the Beaufort Castle ended abruptly on the night of May 23-24, 2000, when ex-prime minister Ehud Barak hastily withdrew troops from Lebanon, leading to the difficult security situation in the north we are still facing today.
The first IDF tank crosses a bridge erected over the Litani River on the way to taking over the Beaufort:
Footage of IDF forces taking Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon:
The central goal of the operation is to remove the direct threat facing northern Israeli communities, particularly Metula, since the areas now being targeted overlook the town and provide dominant observation and firing positions.
The IDF said that several days ago, a large number of ground forces from the Golani Brigade, the 7th Brigade, the Givati Brigade, the Fire Brigade, and the Refaim Multidimensional Unit crossed the Litani.
Before the ground forces entered, the Air Force carried out massive strikes on Hezbollah targets throughout the area as part of a broader fire campaign that also included artillery and tank shelling. Israeli forces struck strategic high ground positions, located and destroyed Hezbollah infrastructure, and carried out engineering work, including the establishment of five bridges across the Litani.
The operation is focused on taking control of the Beaufort Ridge and the Saluki River area, while intensifying the battle against Hezbollah and dismantling major terror infrastructure built there with Iranian backing. Hezbollah used these positions to coordinate combat activity and carry out numerous attacks against Israel.
The IDF stated that it is operating near Nabatieh, a major Hezbollah stronghold in southern Lebanon, and is “prepared and ready to expand the offensive as required.”
“The operation joins dozens of additional activities carried out by our forces in recent weeks as part of the ongoing campaign against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon,” the IDF said.
(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
