Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday celebrated the IDF’s recent capture of Lebanon’s historic Beaufort Castle and the surrounding strategic ridge, calling it “a dramatic shift” in Israeli policy as forces pushed deeper into southern Lebanon amid an expanding ground offensive against Hezbollah.

“The capture of Beaufort is a dramatic stage and a dramatic shift in the policy we are leading,” Netanyahu said in a video message released by his office, adding: “Now my directive is to deepen and expand our hold on areas that had been under Hezbollah’s control.”

The statement came as Hezbollah pounded northern Israel with relentless rocket and drone fire. Sunday’s barrages triggered sirens in Acre and the Haifa area, the first attack on the major northern urban area in nearly a month, and caused schools to close near the Lebanon border. Several people were injured on Sunday afternoon when an explosive drone impacted in the community of Beit Hillel.

As the IDF pushed deeper into Lebanese territory, an Israeli soldier was killed Saturday night during clashes with Hezbollah in Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, just west of the Beaufort Ridge. Staff Sgt. Michael Tyukin, 21, who was killed by an explosive drone, was the 13th soldier killed since an ostensible ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon was reached on April 16.

Hours after the deadly attack, Israeli troops took over territory in the Beaufort Ridge and Wadi Saluki stream area, and expanded strikes north of the Litani River overnight. Footage from Sunday morning showed Israeli and IDF flags flying over the Crusader-built fortress.

In his Sunday statement, Netanyahu recalled that the landmark fortress “became a symbol of deep division within our society” after Israeli........

© The Times of Israel