Israeli defense minister denies report of withdrawal from Beaufort Castle

JERUSALEM — Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz on Wednesday denied reports that the Israeli military would withdraw from Beaufort Castle on the Lebanese border. In a post on X, Katz said Israel had no intention of pulling back from the area, which he described as an integral part of Israel's security zone in Lebanon and critical to defending Israeli communities in the Galilee and Israel Defense Forces personnel. Katz said he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had already made clear that Israel would not withdraw from the security zone in Lebanon. He did not specify which outlet had published the withdrawal report. The defense minister also rejected claims that the military's operations in Lebanon had been restricted, stating that troops were continuing operations aimed at eliminating threats against Israel. Beaufort Castle, known in Hebrew as Beaufort and in Arabic as Qalaat al-Shaqif, sits on a ridge overlooking the Litani River and has been a focal point of Israeli military activity in southern Lebanon.