Hezbollah says it continues fighting Israeli forces at Beaufort castle

BEIRUT — Hezbollah said in a statement that it is continuing to fight the Israeli army at the Beaufort castle in southern Lebanon, which Israel says it has seized since the weekend.

"Since dawn yesterday and up until this statement was published, the Israeli enemy has faced great difficulties stabilizing its forces around the fortress, as they are deployed near the rest area at the foot of the hill. The Islamic Resistance is waging a war of attrition against the Israeli forces present in the area, and the next images will confirm this situation," Hezbollah said.

Hezbollah also said the Israeli army's claimed capture of the castle was more of a publicity operation aimed at countering "the significant negative impact caused by video content released by the Islamic Resistance documenting its operations against enemy Israeli army forces, and their influence on Israeli consciousness," adding that it "is just 4 kilometers from the border."

"For more than five days, the Israeli enemy carried out airstrikes and intense bombardment of Yohmor al-Shaqif and surrounding villages in an effort to seize the fortress. It encountered resistance and heavy fire, which prevented it from achieving its goal and forced it to retreat. On the evening of May 30, an Israeli unit infiltrated under the cover of smoke and reached the fortress, taking photos there that were later released to claim its occupation, while the site was reportedly devoid of any Resistance military presence," Hezbollah said, without providing further details.

Israel announced on Sunday morning that it had seized Beaufort castle before expanding its offensive in southern Lebanon, amid a conflict that has already killed more than 3,400 people in Lebanon since March 2.