“Those first three days at Beaufort will stay with me forever” – inside the fortress Israel retook

Three former commanders who led Israeli forces at Beaufort Castle during the 1980s and 1990s have returned to the strategic fortress following its recapture by the Israel Defence Forces this week. The commanders, who oversaw operations during Israel’s lengthy presence in south Lebanon, have reflected on their time there and the dramatic shift in circumstances that has now brought Israeli troops back to the hilltop stronghold.Beaufort Castle, perched on a ridge overlooking the Litani River in southern Lebanon, has become a potent symbol in the current conflict. The fortress changed hands multiple times during Israel’s 18-year military presence in Lebanon, which ended in 2000. For those who served there during that earlier period, its recapture marks a return to a place that fundamentally shaped their military careers and personal development.The veterans have described their initial experiences at the fortress with a sense of awe and intensity. “Those first three days will stay with me forever,” one former commander reflected, highlighting the psychological and operational weight of taking and holding such a strategically significant position. Their accounts reveal the strain of maintaining control over a fortress that was constantly under threat, both from military assault and the demanding terrain of the Lebanese mountains.The return of Israeli forces to Beaufort represents a significant moment in the current campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon. For the former commanders revisiting the location, it serves as both a reminder of their sacrifice and a complex reckoning with how the broader conflict has evolved over the intervening decades. Their perspectives offer insight into the challenges of holding such positions and the human cost of prolonged military operations in the region.

Source: Maariv — Original article in Hebrew.