Previously, Beaufort Castle, one of the most prominent archaeological and heritage landmarks, was subjected to Israeli shelling, alongside “the bombing of residential houses, the destruction of neighborhoods and infrastructure, and the forced displacement of residents from their land and homes,” as previously announced by the Arnoun municipality.

The municipality indicated that the castle had been granted “enhanced protection” under the Second Protocol of the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict in 2024, describing the targeting as a “clear and explicit violation of international laws and treaties related to the protection of cultural and human heritage.”

"Beaufort", one of Lebanon's landmark historic castles

Beaufort Castle, or “Beaufort,” is one of Lebanon’s most prominent historical castles, located at an altitude of more than 700 meters above sea level near the town of Arnoun. It overlooks the Litani River, the Marjayoun Plain, Nabatiyeh, and Upper Galilee. Its geographical location gives it strategic importance, which has made it a focal point of battles and fortifications over many centuries.

Historical accounts indicate that the castle dates back to the Roman era in its origins, before the Crusaders expanded its structure in the 12th century, while Prince Fakhr al-Din II later restored it.

The castle also witnessed successive wars from the Crusader period through the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982, when it became one of the fiercest battlegrounds between the Israeli army and Palestinian fighters during what was known as the “Battle of Beaufort.”

During the years of the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon, the castle was used as a military center and suffered extensive damage due to shelling, airstrikes, and military fortifications.

Restoration efforts began after its liberation in 2000 with Lebanese and Arab support, and it eventually became a prominent tourist and cultural landmark in southern Lebanon.