Israeli forces seized a 12th-century Crusader castle in southern Lebanon, as Israel intensifies its farthest incursion into the country in 26 years, despite a nominal ceasefire.
Previously occupied by Israeli forces from 1982 to 2000, Beaufort Castle symbolizes “Israel’s long and costly presence in Lebanon,” a defense analyst said.
It provides Israel with little military advantage — Hezbollah is mostly using drones, not ground troops — but offers “a kind of victory image,” another expert told The Guardian.
Further negotiations between Israel and Lebanon scheduled this week in Washington raised speculation that the two sides could reach a new ceasefire, which Iran has demanded as a precondition of any broader diplomatic settlement with the US.