Israel captures a key Lebanon site, crossing Litani River in deepest incursion in 26 years

Middle East ConflictIsrael captures a key Lebanon site, crossing Litani River in deepest incursion in 26 yearsThe crossing of the Litani River and capture of Beaufort Ridge mark a major escalation in the current conflict.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Add NBC News to GoogleFamily finds home destroyed after Israeli strike on southern Lebanon01:02Get more newsLiveonShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 31, 2026, 6:39 AM EDTBy Freddie ClaytonIsraeli forces have crossed the Litani River and captured a strategic site in Lebanon, its defense minister said Sunday, marking Israel’s deepest incursion into the country in 26 years.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The capture of Beaufort Ridge, the site of a medieval castle, comes after days of intense fighting in southern Lebanon, and after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was “intensifying operations” in the country despite a nominal ceasefire that came into place in April.And the advance comes despite hopes of a U.S.-brokered plan to forge peace between the two countries, as Israeli and Lebanese officials met in Washington Friday to discuss implementation of the ceasefire, which Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah accuse each other of breaching.“The Israeli flag is once again flying over the peaks overlooking the communities of the Galilee,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a speech Sunday. He added that soldiers who captured the Beaufort “will remain there as part of the security zone in Lebanon.”“The campaign is not yet over,” he added on X, saying that Israel was determined to “crush” Hezbollah, which has historically operated in southern Lebanon close to the border with northern Israel.An Israeli flag flies over the medieval Beaufort Castle, known locally as Qalaat al-Shaqif or Shaqif Arnoun, as seen from the Marjayoun area of southern Lebanon on May 31.AFP via Getty ImagesThe Israeli army’s Arabic spokesperson A...