Israel orders strikes on Beirut suburbs, captures Beaufort Castle, as ceasefire collapses

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz on Monday ordered the military to strike Hezbollah targets in Beirut's southern suburbs, prompting thousands of residents to flee the densely populated Dahieh area. The order, announced in a joint statement, cited "repeated and ongoing violations of the ceasefire by Hezbollah" and attacks on Israeli civilians and cities.

"The Dahieh in Beirut is no different from the communities in northern Israel – if there is no calm in the north, there will be no calm in Beirut," Katz warned. Roads leading out of the southern suburbs were choked with cars as families crammed belongings onto scooters and into vehicles, heading north toward the mountains. The displacement was a familiar one for residents who had only returned home six weeks earlier after a nominal ceasefire was announced on April 17.

The order came a day after Israeli forces captured the medieval Beaufort Castle, known in Arabic as Qalaat al-Shaqif, in southern Lebanon on May 31. The 900-year-old Crusader fortress overlooks the Litani River and marks the deepest Israeli incursion into Lebanon since its 18-year occupation ended in 2000. Netanyahu called the capture a "dramatic shift" in the campaign against Hezbollah, saying: "Now my directive is to deepen and expand our hold in places that were under Hezbollah's control."

Hezbollah said its fighters were engaged in a "battle of attrition" near Beaufort Castle on June 1, announcing operations against Israeli soldiers stationed in the area. The group's MP, Hassan Fadlallah, blamed the Lebanese government for the escalation, saying it "has proven the failure of the direct negotiation option."

The escalation threatens to derail US-brokered ceasefire efforts and Iran-US peace talks. Iran halted indirect negotiations with the US over the threatened strikes on Beirut, with Iranian state TV reporting that the country's negotiating team would stop exchanging messages with Washington. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the ceasefire "applies to Lebanon as well" and that a violation on one front is a "violation on all fronts."

At least 3,412 people have been killed in Lebanon since March 2, according to the Lebanese health ministry. More than 1 million people have been displaced in Lebanon. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam accused Israel of "implementing a policy of total destruction of cities and towns."

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio proposed a de-escalation plan to Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, under which Hezbollah would halt attacks on Israel and Israel would refrain from escalation in Beirut. A US official said Aoun was supportive but that Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri gave an "evasive and disappointing" response, demanding Israel stop firing first. Israeli media reported that Netanyahu's government lobbied Washington for a green light to strike Beirut, with Washington agreeing over the weekend to expanded strikes as tensions between Washington and Tehran grew.