Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered troops to advance further into Lebanon as part of the fight against the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah. He made the statement on Sunday, despite a ceasefire declared more than six weeks ago, Reuters reports, according to UNN.
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The fighting in Lebanon has become the most significant consequence of the war with Iran. Since early March, more than 1.2 million Lebanese have been forced to flee their homes due to Israeli strikes and evacuation orders after Hezbollah began launching rockets and drones at Israel in support of its ally Iran.
According to the Lebanese government, more than 3,370 people have been killed since then. Israel reports the deaths of 24 of its service members and four civilians during the same period. Tens of thousands of residents in northern Israel have also been evacuated due to Hezbollah's rocket and drone attacks.
During the latest offensive, Israeli forces captured the 900-year-old Beaufort Castle and a strategic height in southern Lebanon, the military said. This occurred a day after one of the most massive shellings of northern Israel by Hezbollah since the April truce, which led to school closures and the imposition of restrictions.
"I have instructed the army to expand the ground operation in Lebanon,"
Citing the escalation of violence in Lebanon, France called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Monday, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.
Israel seeks to expand control over Hezbollah areas
Israeli troops and Hezbollah militants continue to exchange strikes following the truce concluded in mid-April. At the same time, Hezbollah is increasingly using cheap kamikaze strike drones, which are easily assembled and difficult for air defense systems to intercept. They have already led to the deaths of several Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli army already controlled the territory up to the Litani River, but is now advancing toward the Zahrani River, approximately 10 kilometers further north.
Netanyahu stated that his goal is to "deepen and expand our control over places that were under Hezbollah's rule."
Netanyahu's opponent in the upcoming elections, Naftali Bennett, called for even tougher actions in Lebanon, including strikes on the suburbs of Beirut.
On Sunday, the Israeli military called for the evacuation of residents in areas south of the Zahrani River. According to Lebanon's state news agency, eight people were killed in overnight airstrikes on the village of Deir el-Zahrani.
Throughout Sunday, the Israeli army carried out more than 40 strikes on southern Lebanon, Lebanese security sources and state media reported.
Beaufort Castle provides a strategic advantage
On Friday, the U.S. military hosted Israeli and Lebanese defense officials in Washington to promote a U.S.-backed plan to achieve peace between the two countries and disarm the Iranian-backed Hezbollah. On May 15, the parties agreed to extend the ceasefire for another 45 days.
The capture of Beaufort Castle gave Israeli troops a vantage point for observing a significant part of southern Lebanon and northern Israel. It was from this area that attacks on Israeli residential areas were carried out.
This is the first time since May 2000 that Israel again controls this site after withdrawing its troops from southern Lebanon, where they had been stationed for 18 years.
One Israeli soldier was killed during the operation.
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