UNESCO-listed Beaufort Castle, also known as Shaqif Castle, stands on a hilltop overlooking southern Lebanon. Photo: AFP
Israeli forces set off an estimated 700-tonne underground explosion beneath the UNESCO-listed Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon overnight Thursday, July 30, into Friday, July 31, saying the operation targeted an alleged Hezbollah tunnel network beneath the historic fortress.
The blast, near the town of Arnoun in Nabatieh governorate, was heard across southern Lebanon, including Saida and Iqlim al-Kharroub. Residents in Nabatieh reported clouds of dust drifting over the city, while the force of the explosion shattered windows in nearby towns and villages.
A joint statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office and the Defence Ministry said the operation was ordered to destroy tunnels that Israel claimed were used by Hezbollah. Israeli officials also linked the strike to what they described as a recent violation of the ceasefire agreement.
Israeli media reported that an engineering vehicle operating near Ali Taher hill came under attack earlier this week, allegedly by a booby-trapped drone. Israel cited the incident as part of its justification for the operation.
Hezbollah has not claimed responsibility for the reported attack.
Lebanese authorities, however, have consistently rejected Israeli allegations that Beaufort Castle contains Hezbollah infrastructure. Lebanon’s Directorate General of Antiquities said in June that maps and videos circulated by Israel were fabricated and did not correspond to the archaeological site.
The Directorate General of Antiquities said Beaufort Castle has been under Lebanese state administration since Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000. It added that the fortress has benefited from enhanced protection under the 1954 Hague Convention and its Second Protocol since November 2024.
Built nearly 900 years ago during the Crusader era, Beaufort Castle is one of southern Lebanon’s most important historical landmarks. It suffered extensive damage during the 1982 Israeli invasion and was later used as an Israeli military outpost until the withdrawal from southern Lebanon.
Lebanese Culture Minister Ghassan Salame recently welcomed UNESCO’s decision to place Beaufort Castle and four other fortresses in the Jabal Amel region on the List of World Heritage in Danger, warning that the monument remained vulnerable after the destruction of Shamaa Castle.
The scale of the demolition has renewed concerns among Lebanese geologists.
Dr Tony Nemer of the American University of Beirut has previously warned that large underground explosions near the junction of the Levant, Yammouneh and Roum fault systems could alter geological stress and potentially trigger human-induced seismic activity.
He cited a 400-tonne Israeli demolition in Odaisseh in 2024 that reportedly prompted earthquake alerts across northern Israel and parts of the occupied West Bank. The reported blast beneath Beaufort Castle involved substantially more explosive material.
The demolition comes as tensions continue along the Israel-Lebanon border despite a US-brokered ceasefire, with Israel and Hezbollah continuing to accuse each other of violating the agreement.
This post was last modified on July 31, 2026 5:25 pm