Israeli forces have pushed past Lebanon’s Litani River and into areas around Nabatieh, troops have also seized Beaufort Castle, a strategic hilltop position overlooking much of southern Lebanon.
Al Jazeera said the advance is the first time since 2006 that Israeli forces have moved beyond the Litani. The operation is Israel’s deepest incursion into Lebanon in 26 years.
The move comes despite a ceasefire arrangement that has remained unstable for weeks.
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Across the old frontier
Israeli troops reached the outskirts of Nabatieh and were poised to encircle the city, which is described as a key economic and cultural centre in southern Lebanon.
Senior Lebanese military sources told Anadolu that Israeli forces had crossed the Litani River, while the Israeli military said it was operating in the Beaufort Ridge and Wadi al-Saluki area to dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure and expand control.
Israeli forces were moving toward the Zahrani River, about six miles north of the Litani, as the front line continued to widen.
🇮🇱 The IDF has crossed the Litani River in southern Lebanon, capturing the strategic Beaufort Ridge and the Crusader-era castle that sits on it.
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 31, 2026
The Litani was the ceasefire line Israel was not supposed to cross.pic.twitter.com/TQ6CG7BfvG https://t.co/UAHHGE3xof
A city of weight and consequence
Nabatieh has emerged as one of the main focal points of the fighting.
The city is viewed in Lebanon as a symbol of resistance and has long sat at the heart of the south’s political and social landscape. Any Israeli control of Nabatieh would extend pressure beyond the border zone and deepen the military and political impact on Hezbollah.
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🇮🇱🇱🇧Israel, Hezbollah- Lebanon war update
— WarMapper🇺🇸 (@CKMapss) May 31, 2026
- Southeastern Lebanese front
- +2.72 sq miles to Israel
- The IDF has made significant progress north of the Litani river, capturing the majority of Yohmor and from there launching successful attacks northeast of the town, entering… pic.twitter.com/NBsythaK6G
Statesmen mind an increasingly frayed thread
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam accused Israel of pursuing a “scorched-earth policy” and said the offensive would bring “neither security nor stability.”
Salam also called for an immediate ceasefire, while President Joseph Aoun discussed the security situation with him and later spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. US-mediated talks aimed at a longer-term settlement are continuing, even as Israeli strikes and evacuation orders test the fragile truce.
The broader conflict has displaced more than 1.2 million people since early March.
