Israel expands Lebanon offensive after capturing historic castle

Israeli troops are moving further into Lebanon after capturing a 900-year-old fortress in the region, despite the two countries agreeing to a ceasefire more than a month ago.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced May 31 that he had instructed the Israeli military to “expand the incursion into Lebanon,” after they took control of historic Beaufort Castle. Netanyahu described the military action as a “dramatic change” in policy.

Israel’s offensive in Lebanon kicked off when the Iranian-backed militia, Hezbollah, began launching rockets into Israeli territory, following February strikes on Iran led by the U.S. and Israel.

Beaufort Castle captured

According to Netanyahu, the Israeli military on May 30 captured Beaufort Castle, a historic fortress that sits roughly 9 miles from the Israeli-Lebanese border.

“Our forces have crossed the Litani River. They took dominant terrain. They captured the Beaufort ridge. And now my instruction is to deepen and expand our hold on places that were under Hezbollah's control,” Netanyahu said in a video address posted to X.

Israel previously took control of the site during the First Lebanon War in 1982 and continued to occupy it for nearly two decades. However, Israel withdrew its troops after 18 years, as the Israeli death toll climbed and public approval for the occupation of southern Lebanon dropped.

In his address, Netanyahu described the taking of Beaufort Castle 44 years ago as a “symbol of a heroic battle by our fighters,” but also a “symbol of deep division among us.”

This time, however, the military action represents something new.

“The capture of Beaufort is a dramatic stage and a dramatic change in the policy we are leading,” Netanyahu said in the video address. “We have broken the barrier of fear. We are taking the initiative, we are operating on all fronts – in Syria, in Gaza, in Lebanon; we have established security zones beyond our borders to protect our communities.”

Offensive pushes past Litani River

Netanyahu also announced that Israeli forces pushed past the Litani River, a 90-mile waterway that covers roughly 20% of Lebanon’s total land mass.

On Sunday, Israeli forces issued an evacuation order for areas within a 25-mile area north of the Israel-Lebanon border, including regions north of the Litani and south of the Zahrani River, according to Lebanese media outlet Naharnet.

For decades, Hezbollah has operated along the southern reaches of the Litani River, making it a significant target in Israel’s ongoing fight against the militant group.

Israel’s latest military offensive marks its first incursion past the southern Litani River region, which historically acted as a demarcation line, in 20 years.

Ceasefire in name only

Israel’s capture of Beaufort Castle and its aim of expanding its military presence throughout Lebanon come as the two countries are ostensibly locked in a ceasefire agreement.

In mid-April, Israel and Lebanon initially agreed to a 10-day ceasefire. Roughly a week later, the temporary ceasefire had been extended by three weeks. By mid-May, it had again been extended, this time for 45 days.

Officially, it remains in effect. Though given violations by both Hezbollah and Israel, the ceasefire is largely in name only.

Since its earliest days, questions surrounding the implementation of the ceasefire have remained, and continue to cloud negotiations.

Netanyahu has maintained he will not remove troops from southern Lebanon. Hezbollah, meanwhile, has said any agreement must not allow Israeli soldiers to remain within Lebanese territory.

According to reporting from the Lebanese media outlet, Naharnet, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is “leading intensive efforts” with his counterparts in the United States, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, to “reach a ceasefire or de-escalation and to halt the Israeli advance.”

Delegates from Lebanon and Israel are due to meet for talks in Washington on June 2.

Aoun has not yet commented publicly on Israel’s advancements into southern Lebanon.

On May 30, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Israel was engaged in a "scorched-earth policy” based on “collective punishment" in the south, as Israeli forces issued wider evacuation orders throughout the region, according to Naharnet.

Growing death toll, displacement

According to UNICEF, 1.1 million Lebanese, or roughly 20% of the population, have been displaced within the first month of Israel’s war against Hezbollah. The Lebanese Health Ministry reports that more than 3,200 people have been killed and nearly 10,000 have been injured over the past three months.

Over the same period of time, 24 Israeli soldiers and four civilians have been killed, Reuters reports.

Contributing: Reuters.

Drew Pittock covers national trending news for USA TODAY. He can be reached at [email protected].