Israeli military forces captured the medieval Beaufort castle in southern Lebanon on May 31, marking a "dramatic shift" in their offensive against Hezbollah, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said [1]. Netanyahu called the capture a "dramatic stage" and said his directive was "to deepen and expand our hold in places that were under Hezbollah’s control" [1].
The ground operation comes amid ongoing Israeli air strikes that killed eight people, including three women, in Deir Zahrani on the same day [1]. Hezbollah fighters targeted Israeli troops near Beaufort and launched attacks into northern Israel, while air raid sirens sounded in the Israeli city of Acre on May 31 [1].
Israeli forces have taken key strategic positions overlooking southern Lebanon and widened their presence in the region [1]. Since the conflict escalated on March 2, 2026, following Hezbollah rocket fire, more than 3,370 people have been killed and over 10,000 wounded in Israeli attacks across Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry [2].
Diplomatic tensions intensified as France requested an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting for June 1 to address the Israeli military operations. French President Emmanuel Macron called the advance "extremely concerning" and said "nothing justifies the major escalation underway in south Lebanon" [1]. French Minister Jean-Noel Barrot described the fighting and Israeli presence as "a major mistake" and called for a halt to military operations [3]. The June 1 UN meeting, strongly backed by Russia, went ahead as scheduled [2].
Türkiye also condemned Israel’s expansion in Lebanon on June 1, calling it "expansionist and aggressive," warning it would worsen humanitarian conditions and destabilize the region. The Turkish Foreign Ministry accused Netanyahu’s government of seeking to make occupied areas uninhabitable, mirroring tactics used in Gaza [4].
Diplomatic relations between France and Israel soured further when an Israeli diplomat mocked Macron’s UN meeting by posting a video of celebrations in Paris amid the crisis [5].
Lebanese and Israeli delegations held security talks in Washington on May 29, with further negotiations planned in early June, as the conflict continues to escalate and casualty figures rise sharply [1]. The situation remains volatile with the UN Security Council engaged and regional powers issuing sharp condemnations.
