Israel ne Lebanon ke southern hisse mein Beaufort Castle capture kar liya hai, jisse regional conflict aur ceasefire tensions badh gayi hai

Israeli forces ne Lebanon ke southern hisse mein historic Beaufort Castle capture kar liya hai, jo ki unka 25 saal mein sabse deep ground incursion hai. Ye strategic mountain-top fortress, Nabatiyeh city ke paas, intense fighting aur airstrikes ke baad capture kiya gaya hai, jo ki Hezbollah positions par target kiye gaye the. Is operation ne Israel-Hezbollah war ko aur bhi escalate kar diya hai, jo ki March 2, 2026 se shuru hua tha, jab Hezbollah ne northern Israel par rocket attacks kiye the, U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran ke retaliation mein. Israeli military ne Beaufort Castle, ek Crusader-era fortress jo ki deep historical significance rakhta hai, ka capture May 31, 2026 ko confirm kiya hai. Defense Minister Israel Katz ne announce kiya hai ki Israeli troops ne castle par national flag raise kiya hai, jo ki unke hisab se ek key position par return hai, jo ki pehle Israel ne 1982 se 2000 tak southern Lebanon par occupation ke dauran hold kiya tha. Katz ne kaha hai ki Israel castle par control maintain karna chahta hai, jabki wo southern Lebanon mein thousands of homes aur military infrastructure ko demolish karna jaari rakhega, jo ki unke hisab se Hezbollah ne use kiye the. Beaufort Castle ka capture nominal ceasefire ke bawjood hua hai, jo ki April 17, 2026 se laagu hai. Ceasefire ne repeatedly faltered hai, dono sides ne border par fire exchange jaari rakhi hai. Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, ek key Hezbollah ally, ne group ki commitment ko ceasefire ke prati reaffirm kiya hai, lekin unhone Israel ki adherence ko question kiya hai. “Lekin kaun Israel ko aggression stop karne ke liye force karega?” Berri ne ek televised address mein kaha. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot ne Israel ke military operations ko “unacceptable” kaaha hai, aur ek emergency United Nations Security Council meeting ke liye call kiya hai, jo ki June 1, 2026 ko hone ki ummeed hai. Beaufort Castle, jo ki Arabic mein Al-Shaqif ke naam se jaana jaata hai, centuries se ek pivotal military asset raha hai. 12th century mein Crusaders dwara banaya gaya, ispe pehle fortifications thi, aur ispe various powers ne control kiya hai, jaise ki Saladin ke forces, Mamluks, Ottomans, French mandate, aur Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). Israel ne pehle castle ko 1982 mein capture kiya tha, Defense Minister Ariel Sharon ke under, ek broader offensive ke dauran, jo ki Beirut tak pahunch gaya tha. Israel ke 2000 mein Lebanon se withdrawal ke baad, castle ko partially restore kiya gaya aur visitors ke liye khola gaya. 2024 Israel-Hezbollah war ke dauran, UNESCO ne Beaufort Castle aur 33 anya Lebanese cultural sites ko protected under enhanced safeguards declare kiya tha, taaki damage se bacha ja sake. Israel ka military expansion Beaufort Castle ke aage bhi badh gaya hai, Israeli troops ne Litani River cross kiya hai, jo ki pehle ek de-facto boundary maana jaata tha. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ne castle ka capture ek “dramatic shift” ke roop mein describe kiya hai, jo ki broader security concerns se linked hai, jo ki Syria, Lebanon, aur Gaza ke saath borders par hai. Netanyahu ne claim kiya hai ki Israel ne 3,000 Hezbollah militants ko kill kiya hai, jabse war shuru hua hai. Hezbollah ne bhi thousands of missiles aur drones ko Israeli positions par launch kiya hai, southern Lebanon aur northern Israel mein, jo ki conflict ko aur bhi intense kar raha hai. Lebanon mein escalation ne global concerns raise kiye hain, khaskar oil markets ke liye. Crude oil prices May 31, 2026 ko 2% se zyada badh gaye hain, jab investors ne deepening conflict ko react kiya hai. U.S. crude futures $89.53 per barrel par pahunch gaye hain, jabki Brent crude $93.05 per barrel par climb kiya hai. Renewed fighting ne U.S.-Iran ceasefire extension ke prospects par doubt raise kiya hai, jo ki previously oil prices mein modest gains drive kar raha tha. U.S. President Donald Trump ne indicate kiya hai ki Iran ke saath ceasefire extension par decision “soon” kiya jayega, lekin Hezbollah ko include karna abhi bhi ek sticking point hai. Geopolitical analysts ne bhi warning di hai ki oil aur gas shipping routes par growing risks hain, khaskar Strait of Hormuz, jo ki global energy supplies ke liye ek critical chokepoint hai. Concerns mount ho rahe hain ki Iran shipping lanes ko disrupt kar sakta hai, jo ki strait mein additional naval mines laye jane ke reports ke baad hai. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ne previously warn kiya tha ki aise actions ceasefire ko violate karenge. Strait of Hormuz approximately one-fifth of global oil aur gas flows handle karta hai, aur iska closure Iran dwara conflict ke shuru hone se energy markets par strain pad raha hai. Even agar ceasefire reach ho jata hai, analysts caution ki oil market ke liye relief gradual ho sakti hai, given ongoing geopolitical uncertainties.