Egypt forcefully condemned Israel’s expanding military offensive in Lebanon as a “blatant aggression” on Sunday, as Israeli forces seized the historic Beaufort Castle to establish a new security zone despite a ceasefire announced more than six weeks ago.
In a statement, the Egyptian foreign ministry described the operations and expanding ground incursion as a “complete violation of Lebanese sovereignty” that reveals premeditated intentions to impose a new military reality on the ground.
Cairo warned that the continued expansion of operations threatens to detonate the situation, demanding an immediate and complete Israeli withdrawal and the comprehensive implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701. The ministry urged the Security Council and international actors to halt the offensive immediately, warning of further chaos while regional parties make intense diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions.
The condemnation followed an announcement by the Israeli military on Sunday morning that it had taken control of the 900-year-old Beaufort Castle, or Qalaat al-Shaqif, and its surrounding strategic hills in southern Lebanon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he has ordered the military to expand its manoeuvres in Lebanon. Netanyahu stated that his instructions are to strengthen and expand the military’s grip on areas previously controlled by Hezbollah.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said forces will remain at the castle’s heights as part of a security zone. The capture provides an observation point 700 metres above sea level that overlooks vast areas, including Nabatieh and Marjayoun in southern Lebanon, as well as northern Israel.
The expanding operations have drawn broader international backlash and resulted in further casualties. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told the BFMTV network that Paris has called for an “emergency meeting” of the UN Security Council.
“Nothing can justify the continuation of (Israeli) military operations in Lebanon, and the deepening of its occupation of Lebanese territory,” Barrot said.
On the ground, Israeli strikes on Deir Al Zahrani in southern Lebanon killed eight people and injured 16, according to the Lebanese National News Agency.
In a telephone call with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Sunday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelattyexpressed full solidarity with Lebanon in facing the “current delicate challenges.”
Abdelatty emphasised the necessity of a complete Israeli withdrawal, calling any compromise of Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity a blatant violation of international law. He stressed the importance of supporting Lebanese state institutions and achieving the exclusivity of weapons in the hands of the state, calling it “the fundamental pillar for preserving Lebanon’s security and stability, supporting the choice of the state, and safeguarding the capabilities of the brotherly Lebanese people.”
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump expressed his belief that a peace agreement with Iran is “imminent.”
Speaking in an interview with Fox News broadcast on Sunday from the White House, Trump said the United States is getting what it wants from the negotiations, but stressed that Iran “cannot have a nuclear weapon” and warned that military action remains on the table.
“We are making a great deal. We will work to conclude it. Otherwise, we will go back and end it militarily,” Trump said.
“We are close to a very good deal, and if we can get it done, that would be excellent; otherwise, we will go back to the Department of War, as we call it, which has achieved great successes,” he added.
