U.S. Signals Support as Israel Expands Lebanon Operations After Hezbollah Escalation

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

(Worthy News) – The United States has effectively signaled support for Israel to expand its military operations deeper into Lebanon, including toward Beirut, after a fresh diplomatic initiative collapsed and Hezbollah continued launching rockets and explosive drones at northern Israeli communities, according to U.S. and Israeli officials.

The shift followed back-channel talks between Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter and senior White House officials, as Israel warned that it could no longer sustain Hezbollah’s mounting attacks under the current rules of engagement.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly spoke with both Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an effort to advance a framework under which Hezbollah would halt its attacks in exchange for Israel refraining from escalating operations in Beirut. Aoun sought to move the proposal forward, but Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri responded evasively, demanding that Israel stop firing first, even though Hezbollah initiated the latest round of hostilities on March 2.

Washington’s patience now appears to be wearing thin. A U.S. official said the Trump administration does not expect Israel to continue absorbing terrorist attacks against its citizens and views Hezbollah as operating under Tehran’s direction. The official said Iran is deliberately prolonging the conflict in hopes of claiming credit for any eventual resolution.

The American posture amounts to one of the clearest signals yet that Washington is prepared to give Israel greater latitude as it seeks to degrade Hezbollah’s military infrastructure and restore security to northern Israel.

The diplomatic breakdown comes as Israeli forces announced the capture of Beaufort Castle and the surrounding Beaufort Ridge in southern Lebanon, a strategic and symbolic site overlooking key portions of southern Lebanon and northern Israel.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the operation “a dramatic change” in Israel’s policy toward Lebanon.

“Last night, our heroic fighters captured the Beaufort Castle. They proudly raised the flag of the State of Israel and the flag of the Golani Brigade there,” Netanyahu told the Israeli public.

The prime minister drew a direct comparison to Israel’s 1982 capture of the same fortress during the First Lebanon War, when Golani Brigade troops fought a costly battle against Palestinian militants who had used the site as a launch point for attacks into Israeli territory.

“Today, we returned to Beaufort differently,” Netanyahu said. “We returned united, determined, and stronger than ever.”

Netanyahu said Israeli forces had crossed the Litani River, seized dominant terrain, and taken control of the Beaufort Ridge. He said his directive now is to “deepen and expand” Israel’s hold on positions previously controlled by Hezbollah.

The Beaufort fortress, a medieval Crusader-era structure perched more than 2,300 feet above sea level, has long held military value because of its commanding views over the Litani River, the Hula Valley, the Galilee, and the Nabatieh-Marjayoun corridor. Its location near Nabatieh, a major Hezbollah stronghold, gives Israel a significant surveillance and operational advantage in southern Lebanon.

For Israel, the site also carries deep national memory. The fortress was captured in 1982, held during Israel’s long presence in southern Lebanon, and evacuated in 2000 when Israel withdrew from the security zone. Hezbollah later portrayed that withdrawal as a victory, a narrative that strengthened the terror group’s standing and emboldened further attacks that eventually helped lead to the 2006 Second Lebanon War.

Defense Minister Israel Katz praised the Golani Brigade and other IDF forces, saying they had written “another chapter of Israeli heroism” at a place where Israeli soldiers previously fell in battle.

The capture came amid continued Hezbollah fire into northern Israel. Rocket and drone alerts sounded Monday across the Upper Galilee, Lower Galilee, and communities near Kiryat Shmona, Metula, Manara, Margaliot, Kfar Giladi, Ma’ayan Baruch, and Ma’alot-Tarshiha. The IDF said it launched interceptors at suspicious aerial targets and intercepted at least one launch from Lebanon. No injuries or damage were immediately reported in the Monday morning attacks.

Sunday saw a sharper escalation, with Hezbollah expanding the range of its attacks and making heavy use of explosive drones and unmanned aerial vehicles. Four people were lightly to moderately wounded when an explosive drone struck near Moshav Beit Hillel in the Galilee Panhandle. Other launches landed in open areas, sparking fires and causing property damage in several northern communities.

The IDF said it struck Hezbollah infrastructure in Tyre and other areas of southern Lebanon, including weapons depots, staffed command centers, and facilities used to plan attacks against Israeli forces.

The army also announced that Staff Sgt. Michael Tyukin, 21, a Givati reconnaissance soldier from Ashkelon, was killed Saturday by an explosive drone in southern Lebanon. Four other soldiers were lightly wounded in the same incident. Tyukin was the 13th Israeli soldier killed since the Lebanon ceasefire went into effect.

Netanyahu said Israel’s campaign has eliminated thousands of Hezbollah operatives since the Oct. 7 war began, including hundreds in recent weeks. He said Israel is now operating on multiple fronts — Gaza, Syria, and Lebanon — while establishing security zones beyond its borders to protect Israeli communities.

“We have broken the barrier of fear,” Netanyahu said. “We are taking the initiative.”

The widening Israeli campaign comes as U.S. efforts to negotiate with Iran face growing difficulty. Analysts say Israel may see a narrow window to act decisively against Hezbollah before any future U.S.-Iran arrangement could restrict Israel’s freedom of maneuver.

For residents of northern Israel, the question remains whether Israel’s expanded campaign can finally end months of relentless rocket and drone attacks. Netanyahu said the mission would not be completed overnight, but vowed that security would return.

“It will take time,” he said, “but we will complete the mission.”

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