Israel stepped up its invasion of Lebanon Sunday, raising its flag over the medieval Beaufort Castle and warning residents to evacuate a large swath of the southern part of the country.
Shelling was audible and smoke rose from the surrounding area as the invading army's banner was seen by Agence France-Presse (AFP) above the castle, which Israeli forces notoriously used as a base during their previous two-decade occupation.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz boasted troops had captured the historic strongpoint, which commands sweeping views of south Lebanon, as they expanded their ground operations, which Lebanon's prime minister has condemned as a "scorched earth" policy.
"Forty-four years after the heroic Battle of Beaufort, and on this day commemorating the soldiers who fell in the First Lebanon War, our troops have returned to the summit of Beaufort and once again raised the Israeli flag there," Katz said, in a social media post.
"Under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and my direction, the IDF expanded the operations in Lebanon, crossed the Litani River, and captured the Beaufort Ridge – one of the most important strategic points for defending the communities of the Galilee and safeguarding the security of our forces."
