Israel carries out detonations near Lebanon’s UNESCO-listed Beaufort castle

BEIRUT – Israeli forces carried out a series of detonations overnight near the UNESCO-listed Beaufort castle in southern Lebanon, Lebanese state media reported on July 31, with Israel saying it had destroyed tunnels used by the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group.

“Israeli forces triggered very powerful explosions around midnight, specifically in the area of the Beaufort fortress,” the official National News Agency (NNA) said.

The Crusader-era castle, located in the southern area occupied by Israel, was added last week to UNESCO’s List of World Heritage in Danger.

An AFP correspondent in a nearby village reported hearing large explosions.

In a joint statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz announced that the army had destroyed “terror tunnels in the Beaufort area” using approximately 700 tons of explosives.

They said the explosions came after a “blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement” by Hezbollah on July 29.

The Israeli army accused Hezbollah of violating their fragile ceasefire by launching an explosive drone at an Israeli military vehicle in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah has not claimed any attack on Israel since June 20.

While violence has declined since the US-Iran agreement signed in June and a Lebanon-Israel framework deal, Lebanon continues to report Israeli strikes and artillery shelling on the south, as well as detonations of buildings in southern villages.

The Iran-backed movement drew Lebanon into the wider Middle East war on March 2 with attacks on Israel.

Israel retaliated with a massive bombing campaign and a ground offensive, and its army continues to occupy areas of southern Lebanon extending about 10km into its territory. AFP