Israel moves deeper into Lebanon, captures medieval castle (VIDEOS)

Israel has captured Beaufort Castle, a 900-year-old Crusader fortress and a key vantage point in southern Lebanon, hailing the development as a “dramatic shift” in the ongoing campaign.

The takeover of the site was announced on Sunday, when West Jerusalem circulated photos of Israeli and Golani Brigade flags flying above the fortress. The medieval castle, also known as Qalaat al-Chakif, was previously used by Israel as a base during its two-decade occupation of southern Lebanon that ended in 2000.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the capture as a major achievement, with the Israeli leader stating he had ordered the military “to expand its ground maneuver in Lebanon.” According to media reports, the IDF found no weaponry inside the castle.

“Now my directive is to deepen and expand our hold in places that were under Hezbollah’s control. The capture of Beaufort is a dramatic stage and a dramatic shift in the policy we are leading,” he said.

Israel has also continued its bombing campaign in southern Lebanon, which has significantly picked up in recent days. The majority of the strikes appear to be concentrated around the city of Nabatieh and its immediate vicinity, which is expected to be the next target in the ground offensive.

RT’s footage from the city, which is located some 6km to the northwest of the castle, shows large plumes of smoke and dust emanating from the sites affected by Israeli airstrikes. The attacks have inflicted heavy damage on the city’s residential areas and surroundings, footage shows.

The Israeli onslaught continues despite the reported ceasefire declared more than six weeks ago. The ongoing hostilities between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah are a spillover of the broader conflict in the region triggered by the US-Israeli attack on Iran.

While the truce supposedly took effect on April 17, hostilities never stopped, with both Israel and Hezbollah repeatedly accusing each other of violating it. Iran has made a comprehensive end to the war in Lebanon a condition in its Pakistan-mediated negotiations with Washington, which have been ongoing since early April but have so far failed to yield any tangible results.