Lebanon is a sovereign country that has been a founding member of the United Nations since 1945, but, on several occasions, Israel has made an attempt to be in control of some areas of the sovereign nation, Lebanon, which is a small country of approximately 10,500 square kilometres, out of which, about 3,000 square kilometres are perhaps currently under the control and capture of Israeli Armed Forces since the state of Israel began the war of Redemption in 2025, a military operation targeting Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon which the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu in a nationwide video broadcast on Sunday, said, over 8,000 Hezbollah fighters have been killed, ordered Israeli troops to expand more into Lebanon and commended men and women of the Israel Defence Forces of retaking or recapturing Beaufort, a 900-year-old castle city in Lebanon that perched on a high ridge overlooking the Litani River Valley with a good tactical and strategic military viewpoint over Southern Lebanon, the Western Beqaa Valley and Northern Israel, the highly valued military fortress was previously occupied by Israel between 1982 and year 2000 and its reoccupation by Israel on Saturday night has triggered emergency United Nations Security Council meeting, according to the French Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, France has called for emergency UN seceurity council meeting over Israel expansion into more Lebanon’s territory, stating to BFMTV news network on Sunday that while France recognizes Israel’s right to self-defense, “nothing can justify the continuation of Israeli military operations in Lebanon and its ever-deeper occupation of Lebanese territory”, and Israel Defence Forces, IDF in a statement on Sunday via its social media handles, said “These are photos from the precise IDF operation in the Beaufort Ridge and Wadi Saluki area in southern Lebanon, IDF troops located weapons in the village of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah- further proof of Hezbollah’s presence inside civilian areas in southern Lebanon”.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the nationwide broadcast said and in quotes that; “Last night, our heroic fighters captured the Beaufort castle. They proudly raised the flag of the State of Israel and the flag of the Golani Brigade there. I remind you that 44 years ago, this place was a symbol of a heroic battle by our fighters, but it was also a symbol of deep division among us.

Today, we returned to Beaufort differently. We returned united, determined, and stronger than ever. I spoke with the fighters on the northern border on Friday. They told me: ‘Tell the people of Israel what we are doing here. Prime Minister, the public doesn’t know what achievements we have made.’

Well, since the beginning of the War of Redemption we have eliminated 8,000 Hezbollah terrorists. Since Operation Roaring Lion – 3,000. In the past month alone – 700. This is more than everyone we eliminated during the Second Lebanon War.

I have instructed the IDF to expand the incursion in Lebanon. Our forces have crossed the Litani River. They took dominant terrain. They captured the Beaufort ridge. And now my instruction is to deepen and expand our hold on places that were under Hezbollah’s control.

The capture of Beaufort is a dramatic stage and a dramatic change 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; we have established security zones beyond our borders to protect our communities.

On Friday, I spoke with the brigade commanders. They are daring brigade commanders, inside the territory, leading the heroic soldiers. And they told me: ‘Prime Minister, we are carrying out the mission. We are charging forward – and Hezbollah is fleeing for its life.’ And I told them: ‘I am with you. The entire nation of Israel is with you. It will take more time, but we will restore security to the residents of the North, just as we did for the residents of the South.’ It will take time, but we will complete the mission.”

Israel Defence Forces in a seperate post on Sunday, stated that: “The IDF launched an operation, beginning a few days ago, in the Beaufort Ridge and Wadi al-Saluki area in southern Lebanon in order to dismantle terrorist infrastructure, eliminate terrorists and remove direct threats to Israeli civilians.

The operation is focused on establishing operational control of the Beaufort Ridge and the Wadi al-Saluki area, as well as degrading Hezbollah and dismantling terrorist infrastructure that was established on the ridge under Iranian direction.

From Beaufort Ridge, Hezbollah terrorists managed military and combat activities and carried out numerous attacks.  The IDF has crossed the Litani River and expanded its operations against Hezbollah targets north of the river. The operation is currently expanding to additional areas”.

It would be recalled that Lebanon got Independence from France on November 22, 1943, and in an interview with BFMTV on Sunday, the French Foreign Affairs Minister, Jean-Noel Barrot stated that “Nothing can justify the prolongation of (Israel’s) military operations in Lebanon and its increasingly deep occupation of Lebanese territory.”

“This is a major mistake for Israel,” he added. Barrot’s statements come as the IDF confirmed it had taken control of Beaufort Castle in Lebanon, a position it had not held since withdrawing in May 2000.  Beaufort was originally a French Crusader-period castle in the region.

In the same interview, Barrot also called for Iran and the US to reach a peace deal, describing the current situation as “untenable.” “We feel the consequences of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz on a daily basis, at the pump, and more generally with its impact on the global economy and on the French economy. So this has to stop,” he stated. He also said that “the planning work is advanced” regarding the mission to guarantee freedom of movement through the Strait of Hormuz.