A photo op, IOF fail to secure foothold at Beaufort Castle: Hezbollah
Hezbollah stated that Israeli occupation forces conducted a short incursion near Beaufort Castle following days of shelling, but withdrew without consolidating positions in the area.
The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, Hezbollah, said Israeli occupation forces briefly reached the historic Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon during an operation on May 30 but failed to establish lasting control over the area.
In a statement released today, Hezbollah said the Israeli military had sought to portray the operation as a significant battlefield achievement following the release of videos by Hezbollah documenting attacks against Israeli forces, which the group stressed had affected morale among settlers of northern “Israel”.
According to Hezbollah, Israeli forces conducted more than five days of intensive airstrikes and artillery shelling targeting the town of Yohmor al-Shaqif and nearby villages in an effort to advance toward Beaufort Castle, also known as al-Shaqif fortress. The historic fortress is located approximately four kilometers from the Lebanese-occupied Palestinian border.
The Resistance movement said Israeli forces advancing toward the southern approaches of Yohmor al-Shaqif came under intense engagement from Hezbollah fighters, which it stressed halted the advance and denied troops access to their intended objective. According to the Resistance, the Israeli military was subsequently compelled to confine its operations to the town’s eastern sector, where rugged terrain and challenging topography limited maneuverability and operational freedom.
Israeli forces struggled to consolidate and hold positions at fortress
Hezbollah further stressed that, at sunset on May 30, an Israeli infantry force conducted a covert infiltration into the eastern sector of the al-Shaqif fortress, advancing under the cover of a smoke screen and utilizing concealed approach routes to avoid detection. According to the statement, the unit succeeded in reaching the site and carrying out a brief presence operation, during which soldiers photographed the fortress. The images were subsequently disseminated by Israeli military and media outlets, which presented them as makeshift evidence that Israeli forces had occupied the strategic hilltop position.
The Resistance confirmed that it had no military presence in the castle.
Hezbollah also stressed that Israeli occupation forces have struggled to consolidate and sustain their positions in the vicinity of the fortress following the incursion.
According to the statement, Israeli troops remain deployed near a rest area below the castle, while Hezbollah fighters continue to conduct attritional operations aimed at wearing down enemy forces through sustained engagements and pressure on units operating in the sector.
The statement concluded by asserting that additional footage would be released at a later stage to substantiate its account of developments in the area.
Read next: After 4 months of battles, IOF reach Shaqif fortress, 3 km from border
