Israel Issues Displacement Orders in Lebanon, Seizes Strategic Castle

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has described the capture of Beaufort Castle as a significant tactical victory. The Israeli military has ordered the forced displacement of all residents living south of the Zahrani River in southern Lebanon, instructing them to move immediately north of the river. This move comes as part of Israel’s expansion of its invasion of the country.

In a social media post on Sunday, Avichay Adraee, an Israeli military spokesperson, warned residents that remaining in the area risked being killed. Over the past 24 hours, Israel has issued more than 10 displacement orders as it continues its offensive against Hezbollah.

The Israeli military previously captured Beaufort Castle in 1982 and maintained control of it until withdrawing from Lebanon 18 years later. The castle’s strategic location near Nabatieh, Lebanon’s fifth-largest city, is seen as a key point for defending the communities of the Galilee and safeguarding Israel’s forces.

Israel has been encircling Nabatieh, which is crucial to southern Lebanon’s economy and a cultural hub for the region. Hezbollah, backed by Iran, continues to target Israeli forces despite Israel’s advances in southern Lebanon.

On Sunday, Israel confirmed that one of its soldiers was killed in a Hezbollah drone attack earlier in the day, bringing the total number of Israeli soldiers killed since the current round of fighting escalated on March 2 to 25.

Hezbollah has been using fibre-optic drones that are resistant to electronic jamming and near-impossible to detect by radar. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has denounced Israel’s invasion, accusing it of pursuing a “scorched-earth policy” and imposing “collective punishment” on residents of southern Lebanon.

Israel is currently engaged in peace talks with Lebanon, facilitated by the United States. Officials from both countries met at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on Friday to discuss the implementation of the nominal “ceasefire” that came into effect in mid-April.

Source: Al Jazeera