Netanyahu orders deeper Lebanon incursion after Beaufort capture

Netanyahu orders – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered troops to expand their incursion into Lebanon after Israeli forces captured the historic Beaufort Castle and pushed beyond the Litani River, even as a ceasefire agreement remains formally in place. Evacuation o

Israeli troops moved deeper into Lebanon after taking control of Beaufort Castle, and within days the operation’s scope widened again—past the Litani River and into areas where residents were ordered to evacuate.

On May 31. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the public that he had instructed the Israeli military to “expand the incursion into Lebanon” after the capture of the 900-year-old fortress. He called the decision a “dramatic change” in policy. framing the advance as a shift from restraint to momentum despite an existing ceasefire arrangement with Lebanon.

The move follows the sequence that has defined the conflict in recent months: Hezbollah launched rockets into Israeli territory after February strikes on Iran that were carried out by the U.S. and Israel. Israel’s offensive in Lebanon began after those February strikes. and the capture of Beaufort is now being treated as a new milestone in how far Israeli forces are willing to go.

Netanyahu said that on May 30, Israeli forces captured Beaufort Castle, a historic fortress located roughly 9 miles from the Israeli-Lebanese border. In a video address posted to X, he described the operation in steps: “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.”.

The words land with particular weight because Beaufort is not just any position. Israel had taken control of the site during the First Lebanon War in 1982 and occupied it for nearly two decades before withdrawing. as Israel’s death toll rose and public approval for the occupation of southern Lebanon declined. In his address. Netanyahu described the earlier capture as a “symbol of a heroic battle. ” while also calling it a “symbol of deep division.”.

This time, he argued, the situation is different. He called the capture of Beaufort “a dramatic stage and a dramatic change in the policy we are leading. ” and said Israel has “broken the barrier of fear.” Netanyahu also said Israeli forces are operating on “all fronts – in Syria. in Gaza. in Lebanon. ” and that Israel has “established security zones beyond our borders to protect our communities.”.

Beyond Beaufort, the advance sharpened on the ground. Netanyahu announced that Israeli forces pushed past the Litani River, describing it as 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 band north of the Israel-Lebanon border. The order included regions north of the Litani and south of the Zahrani River. according to the 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 fight against the militant group.

Israel’s latest military offensive is also being framed as a departure from a long-standing line. It marks Israel’s first incursion past the southern Litani River region in 20 years, and the Litani has historically acted as a demarcation boundary.

The widening geography of the assault is unfolding alongside a ceasefire that remains officially intact but increasingly difficult to reconcile with battlefield reports.

Israel and Lebanon agreed to a 10-day ceasefire in mid-April. Roughly a week later, the temporary ceasefire was extended by three weeks. By mid-May, it was extended again—this time for 45 days. Officially, it remains in effect.

In practice, both sides have cited violations. Netanyahu has maintained that Israel will not remove troops from southern Lebanon. Hezbollah has said any agreement must not allow Israeli soldiers to remain within Lebanese territory.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is described by Naharnet as “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 had not commented publicly on Israel’s advancements into southern Lebanon as of the latest reporting.

Lebanon’s leadership has also accused Israel of using excessive force. 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.

The human cost has risen alongside the expanding operation. UNICEF reported that 1.1 million Lebanese—roughly 20% of the population—have been displaced within the first month of Israel’s war against Hezbollah.

Lebanon’s 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, Reuters reports that 24 Israeli soldiers and four civilians have been killed.

The sequence of events—Netanyahu’s order to deepen the incursion after Beaufort. Israeli movement past the Litani. and evacuation orders that widen the impact—has made the ceasefire’s official language feel increasingly distant. Even as talks are set for Washington on June 2 and efforts are underway to secure de-escalation. the facts on the ground have continued to change.

Benjamin Netanyahu Beaufort Castle Lebanon Hezbollah Litani River ceasefire evacuation orders displacement UNICEF Israel-Lebanon border Marco Rubio Joseph Aoun Nawaf Salam