Israeli forces ultimately seized the historic fortress after crossing the Litani River and expanding operations into the Beaufort and Wadi al-Saluki areas.
By The IDF Club
As part of its expanding offensive in southern Lebanon, the IDF launched an operation north of the Litani River aimed at seizing key Hezbollah strongholds, including the strategic Beaufort ridge. Newly revealed details show the military relied on special aerial resupply missions to sustain advancing forces during the opening days of the campaign.
The operation unfolded before military engineers had completed bridges and supply routes needed to move armored vehicles, fuel trucks, and logistical convoys across the Litani River. As troops pushed deeper into Hezbollah-controlled territory, the Israeli Air Force was called upon to help keep the offensive moving.
According to the newly disclosed details, Hercules transport aircraft carried out special airdrop missions over southern Lebanon, delivering food, water, and fuel to troops operating beyond established supply lines.
In an unusual measure, the aircraft also dropped fuel containers equipped with pumps, allowing forces to refuel tanks and armored personnel carriers in the field while ground logistics routes were still being established.
The resupply operation took place as combat engineers worked to construct bridges and clear routes through rugged terrain, while troops from the Givati Brigade advanced northward to secure operational control of areas surrounding the Beaufort ridge.
At the same time, forces from the Golani Brigade and the 7th Armored Brigade were engaged in the effort to capture Beaufort, one of the most strategically important positions in southern Lebanon.
Israeli forces ultimately seized the historic fortress after crossing the Litani River and expanding operations into the Beaufort and Wadi al-Saluki areas, regions long used by Hezbollah to direct attacks and launch rockets at northern Israeli communities.
Defense Minister Israel Katz described the capture as a major milestone, noting that Golani fighters had returned to the summit of Beaufort 44 years after the famous battle fought there during the 1982 Lebanon War. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu likewise hailed the operation as a turning point in the campaign, saying he had instructed the military to deepen and expand its hold on areas previously controlled by Hezbollah.
The operation underscores the growing scale of Israel’s offensive in southern Lebanon, where ground forces, air power, engineering units, and logistics teams are working in tandem as the military seeks to dismantle Hezbollah’s infrastructure and push the terror group farther from the border.
The capture of Beaufort carries both strategic and symbolic significance. Perched atop a towering cliff overlooking the Litani River and large swaths of southern Lebanon, the fortress has been contested for centuries and served as a key military position during the 1982 Lebanon War. Its commanding view of northern Israel and southern Lebanon has long made it one of the most strategically important sites in the region.
