'Wherever there is a threat to Israeli citizens and IDF forces, we will remove it' - IDF seizes Beaufort Ridge
Israeli forces have taken operational control of a key Hezbollah stronghold in southern Lebanon. Two soldiers were killed in the fighting
According to the IDF, soldiers in southern Lebanon completed a large-scale operation securing operational control of the Beaufort Ridge and the Saluki Stream area. IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Efi Defferin described the ridge as "a central geographical asset of Hezbollah, which constitutes a nerve center for the organization," adding that more than 400 launches have been carried out from the area since the beginning of Operation Roar of the Lion alone.
Defferin said on the ridge was "Iranian infrastructure,” adding that the IDF was "pushing Hezbollah's capabilities and continuing to deepen the damage to it."
Tragically, two soldiers were killed in the operation: First Sergeant Adam Tzarfati, 20, and First Sergeant Michael Tyukin, 21.
This comes following Israel's recapture of Beaufort Castle, a Crusader-era fortress built roughly 900 years ago on a high cliff overlooking the Litani River near the city of Nabatiyeh. The recapture of the castle was not just a strategic victory for Israel but also symbolic. The last time Israeli forces captured the castle was in a battle during the First Lebanon War in 1982. Israel held that position for 18 years before withdrawing in 2000.