May 31, Kathmandu - The Israeli military has taken control of a historic medieval fortress in southern Lebanon, near the city of Nabatih, following days of fierce battles and airstrikes around surrounding villages, AFP reports. The fortress, known as Bofort, is situated on a strategic hilltop and was heavily contested by Hezbollah fighters.

Since the onset of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict in early March, this capture is seen as a significant milestone for Israel. The ongoing war between the two nations, which have been in a state of conflict since Israel's establishment in 1948, is currently under direct negotiations in the United States.

Israeli Arab-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee shared a photo on X (formerly Twitter) showing Israeli soldiers patrolling outside the fortress. Israeli forces had controlled Bofort for 18 years before withdrawing in 2000.

Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed on Sunday that troops had seized the strategic medieval fortress of Bofort in southern Lebanon. The army also indicated an expansion of underground operations against Iran-backed Hezbollah.

"Forty-four years after the historic battle of Bofort, and on the day we remember the soldiers who fell in the first Lebanon War (1982), our soldiers have returned to the summit and raised the Israeli flag once more," Gallant stated on his Telegram channel.

The Israeli military emphasized that under a targeted underground offensive, they are strengthening their presence in southern Lebanon, particularly in the areas beyond the Zahrani River, which they have crossed.

Additionally, Israeli forces have warned Lebanese residents south of the Zahrani River to evacuate as operations against Hezbollah intensify.

In a social media post, spokesperson Adraee urged residents of southern Lebanon to immediately move north of the Zahrani River, citing increased military activity in the region.