By Angus McDowall and Benjamin RaabJERUSALEM/BEIRUT, June 1 (Reuters) - The medieval Beaufort Castle's stone ramparts tower so far above south Lebanon that Israel could hail their capture as a strategic victory, even as it evoked the miseries of a previous occupation.When Israeli forces entered the 900-year-old castle on Saturday, they were returning to a fortress they held throughout their 1982-2000 presence in southern Lebanon, a campaign that years of Hezbollah attacks ultimately drove them to end.

The capture of the castle marks a major gain for Israel since the latest Israel-Hezbollah war began in early March.

Israel has captured the 12th-century Beaufort castle that overlooks southern Lebanon and northern Israel. The move suggests Israel is planning an extended military presence in…