Israeli forces captured Lebanon's medieval Beaufort Castle on Sunday
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European leaders have condemned Israel's escalating aggression in Lebanon. French President Emmanuel Macron said that "nothing can justify the high tensions in southern Lebanon." He called for an immediate end to the fighting. The foreign ministers of Britain and Germany also condemned the Israeli offensive in Lebanon. Israeli forces captured the medieval Beaufort Castle in Lebanon on Sunday. Israel has already taken control of the Litani River in the war with Hezbollah. Israeli forces are now advancing six miles north of it to the Zahrani River. According to AFP, this is the first time Israel has captured such a large area in Lebanon in 26 years. The Israeli military said the move was to prevent Hezbollah from building infrastructure and establishing a base.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Beaufort Castle was captured on Sunday after weeks of airstrikes on nearby villages. The fort was used as a base during Israel's invasions of southern Lebanon in 1982 and 2000.
International media reported that the Israeli army was preparing to encircle Nabatieh. The city is the economic and cultural center of southern Lebanon.
Professor Yagil Levy, head of the Institute for Civil-Military Relations Studies at the Open University of Israel, said the Israeli army was doing this to project a victorious image.
‘There is debate about how significant the capture of Beaufort in 1982 was,’ he said. ‘This fort may have been captured to break the public’s perception that Israel was not winning the war.’
Levy added, ‘The opposition is growing in the northern community. With soldiers exposed to drone attacks, there is criticism from within the military. Hezbollah is as active as ever and there is no real plan to disarm it.’
This aggression by the Israeli military could also affect the negotiation efforts between Iran and the United States. Iran has demanded an end to the war in Lebanon as part of a comprehensive agreement with the United States.’
According to analysts, Israeli officials and military commanders are planning to inflict as much damage as possible on Hezbollah before a possible agreement between Iran and the United States is reached. On March 2, Hezbollah, backed by Iran, launched an open war against Israel.
Since then, Israeli airstrikes have displaced more than 1.2 million people in Lebanon. More than 3,300 people have been killed. A ceasefire was signed between Lebanon and Israel on April 17. However, the fighting has not stopped.
Both the Lebanese rebel group Hezbollah and Israel have accused each other of violating the ceasefire. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that the war will continue deep inside Lebanon.
