&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Lebanon’s Beaufort Castle: Why Israel captured 800-year-old fortress? WION Decodes")
Beaufort Castle, a hilltop fortress from the medieval era in Lebanon's south, was captured by the Israeli military on Sunday (May 31). This came amid a military operation by the IDF against the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.
“The Israeli flag is once again flying over the peaks overlooking the Galilee communities,” Defence Minister Israel Katz said at a memorial ceremony for fallen soldiers of the 1982 war with Lebanon, according to The Times of Israel. “Our heroic soldiers have captured Beaufort once again and will remain there as part of the security zone in Lebanon,” he was quoted as saying.
What is Beaufort Castle?
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The castle is known in Arabic as Qalaat al-Shaqif, a 900-year-old fortress. It was built during the 12th century by Crusaders. The Crusaders named the castle Beaufort, which means “beautiful fortress” in old French.
Over time, the ownership of the castle has changed many times. It was passed from Crusader rulers to various regional powers, including the Ottoman Empire. The location and position of the castle make it one of the essential defensive strongholds in Lebanon.
After the capture of the castle, the IDF now has control of an observation point over a large part of southern Lebanon and northern Israel.
Netanyahu hails the capture
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the capture of the castle a “dramatic shift” in Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
“Today, we have returned to Beaufort in a different way. We have returned united, determined, and stronger than ever,” Netanyahu said in a video statement, AFP reports.
“The capture of Beaufort is a dramatic stage and a dramatic shift in the policy we are leading. We have broken the barrier of fear. We are taking the initiative, we are operating on all fronts – in Syria, in Gaza, in Lebanon," he added.