War in the Middle East: Israel seizes Beaufort Fortress in southern Lebanon

The Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz, said on Sunday, May 31, that the army had taken the medieval fortress of Beaufort, in southern Lebanon where it expanded its operations against pro-Iranian Hezbollah. For the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, the capture of this fortress is a « tournant décisif ». He added that he had ordered the IDF, the Israeli army, « to expand operations in Lebanon » and that she had taken “control of strategic heights”reported Franceinfo. Beaufort Fortress had been used as a base by Israeli forces during their occupation of southern Lebanon, which lasted two decades and ended in 2000. Soldiers “returned to the summit of Beaufort and raised the flag of Israel there againâ€insures Israel Katz.

On the social network X, Emmanuel Macron shared his concern about the situation in Lebanon. “It is urgent that the guns remain silent. […] Nothing justifies the major escalation underway in South Lebanon. France will continue its support to the Lebanese authorities in their efforts to reestablish the sovereignty of the State and the territorial integrity of the country.”he wrote. Furthermore, the president said he had spoken with leaders of the region on the situation in the Middle East. “It is essential that an agreement between the United States and Iran be reached quickly”he repeated, demanding that a ceasefire be concluded as well as the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

A meeting of the UN Security Council after Israel’s offensive in Lebanon

An emergency meeting of the UN Security Council must be held on Monday June 1 in the afternoon, at the request of France, noted The World. The French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot said he made this request because “Nothing can justify the prolongation of Israeli military operations in Lebanon and its occupation deeper and deeper into Lebanese territoryâ€. The minister nevertheless recalled Israel’s right to self-defense against Hezbollah attacks. Monday June 1, the Lebanese President, Joseph Aoun, affirmed that his country was facing “a ferocious and reprehensible aggression by Israelâ€. Since the start of the Israeli offensive on March 2, the Lebanese Ministry of Health indicated on Sunday, May 31, that the toll stood at 3,412 dead and 10,269 injured.

Israel continues its strikes on different regions of Lebanon despite a ceasefire that came into force in April and was extended several times. On Sunday, the Israeli army carried out intensive strikes on the southern Lebanese city of Tyre. That same day, the Qatari Foreign Ministry condemned the escalation of Israeli attacks in Lebanon and called on the international community to act. According to him, the extension of Israel’s ground incursion is “a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the sister Lebanese Republic and a manifest violation of the rules of international humanitarian lawâ€. For his part, the head of German diplomacy, Johann Wadephul called on the Lebanese government to exercise “Its monopoly of legitimate violence over the whole of its territory”.