Transcript [00:03] Hey everyone. About a month ago, the [00:06] Israeli army in South Lebanon captured a [00:10] ridge, a castle [00:12] on that is a Crusader castle built on a [00:16] high ridge in South Lebanon called [00:18] Beaufort Castle. And it was a major news [00:21] story here in Israel. [00:23] Uh Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke about [00:25] it. It was spoken about by the defense [00:26] minister. It was a very important [00:28] turning point in the war. [00:30] And just last week, the IDF invited uh [00:34] journalists to come view the Beaufort [00:36] Castle. So, what I want to do in this [00:38] video is I want to talk about what this [00:41] means, uh not just as a significant [00:44] place that was captured by the IDF and [00:46] why it was significant to be captured, [00:49] but what this this location means for [00:53] the future of how things are going to be [00:55] unfolding in Lebanon. And so, that's [00:57] what we're going to do in this video. [00:58] We're going to take a look at at [01:00] Beaufort Castle. So, let's first take a [01:02] look at this article here. [01:04] This is from the Jerusalem Post. At [01:06] Beaufort Castle, the IDF's 36th Division [01:09] prepares for Hezbollah's next move. [01:11] Reporter's Notebook. With the IDF dug in [01:14] at Beaufort, its next challenge is [01:15] preventing Hezbollah from returning to [01:18] the guerrilla tactics that once drove [01:19] Israel from South Lebanon. I'm not going [01:21] to read this whole piece. Uh it talks [01:23] about how it was a Crusader castle built [01:25] sometime in the 12th century [01:27] and that it's on the high ground in [01:29] South Lebanon. There's a picture of it. [01:31] I want to just read this part. [01:34] On May 31st, 2026, [01:36] in the framework of the IDF 36th [01:38] Division ground maneuver toward [01:40] Nabatieh, the castle was once more taken [01:44] by the Golani Brigade, whose banners now [01:46] fly from its highest point. In a visit [01:48] to the castle last week, the Jerusalem [01:50] Post spoke to senior and mid-level [01:51] commanders of the 36th Division and [01:54] viewed a large Iranian-built Hezbollah [01:57] tunnel in the area of Yochmor Al Shakif, [02:00] which adjoins the Beaufort to its east [02:03] along the Litani River gorge. [02:08] So, there's a large Hezbollah tunnel [02:09] that joins up with the Beaufort. When we [02:11] traveled to Beaufort from the Israeli [02:13] border, evidence of the depopulation of [02:15] Shia villages in the vicinity was [02:17] immediately apparent. We passed through [02:19] Taybeh, once a staunch stronghold of [02:21] Hezbollah and a major source of fighters [02:23] for the organization, and now it's in [02:25] ruins. [02:27] Uh and then let's just jump down a [02:29] little further. [02:32] Here we go. [02:38] Here. [02:39] In the tunnel at Yochmor Al Shakif, a [02:41] masked Lieutenant Colonel of the Yahalom [02:44] unit, the Yahalom unit is the elite unit [02:46] of the combat engineers in Israel, [02:49] they're the most they're the most elite [02:50] uh unit within it, [02:52] showed the assembled reporters an array [02:54] of Hezbollah ordinance and equipment [02:57] captured during the fighting. The [02:58] weaponry and equipment are testimony to [03:00] the organization's de facto status as a [03:03] wing of a state army. Anti-tank systems, [03:06] anti-aircraft gun [03:08] for use against helicopters, fully [03:10] equipped unit for surgery, and of course [03:13] rifles, helmets, uniforms, ammunition. [03:16] You know, we think about terrorists, we [03:17] think about guys running around with [03:18] machine guns. It's way more [03:19] sophisticated. The tunnel is about a [03:21] kilometer long, [03:23] high and wide enough for a grown adult [03:26] to easily walk within it. There are [03:28] fully equipped bathrooms and shower [03:30] units and kitchen areas at regular [03:32] intervals along it. [03:35] The atmosphere as one goes deeper into [03:37] the tunnel becomes fetid and close. The [03:39] construction of these tunnels, hewn out [03:41] of solid rock in difficult terrain, was [03:44] nevertheless a considerable feat of [03:46] engineering. [03:48] While the 36th Division's commanders and [03:50] spoke people spokespeople referred to [03:51] them as Iranian tunnels. It's [03:54] interesting to note that the North [03:55] Korean engineers that North Korean [03:57] engineers brought their expertise to [03:59] this area. In 2014, Hezbollah under [04:02] Iranian tutelage signed an agreement [04:05] with Komid, the North Korean arms and [04:07] infrastructure concern to supervise the [04:10] building of the tunnel complex. These [04:12] tunnels, the Hezbollah tunnels rival and [04:15] resemble the DMZ in Korea. They enabled [04:18] the organization's fighters to live, [04:20] move, and fight underground. [04:24] Okay, so that's that's the written [04:26] report here in the Jerusalem Post. Now, [04:28] what I want to do is I want to play you [04:30] a clip. [04:31] It's a Hebrew clip, but I'm going to do [04:33] a voice over. [04:34] Uh [04:35] it's a clip [04:36] that aired on on Israeli cable news TV [04:38] on channel 14, and I'm just I'm not [04:40] going to I'm not going to do the whole [04:42] clip, just about a minute and a half of [04:43] this clip, and I'm going to read to you [04:45] in English just so you get the visual [04:47] while it is [04:49] while it's playing. So, here we go. [04:50] Let's Let's uh [04:52] Let's pick it up from here. Hopefully, [04:54] I'll get my timing right on the on the [04:55] clip. I'll try to keep it right. Here we [04:57] go. [04:59] It must be said that this entire [05:01] mountain is full of more and more [05:03] enclaves, each with a role, a partial [05:05] fortification for Hezbollah terrorists. [05:07] In other tunnels, we saw medical [05:09] treatment rooms, and all of this is [05:11] actually part of the same big problem [05:13] for the IDF, the threat of drones and [05:16] UAVs. Over time, things changed. [05:19] Hezbollah turned the fortress that was [05:21] exposed above ground into one point in a [05:24] very sophisticated large tunnel network [05:26] over a kilometer long. What you see here [05:29] is actually a very wide entrance into a [05:31] very long tunnel, and inside this [05:33] tunnel, we found many weapons. Some of [05:35] them, as you can see here, these weapons [05:38] were used by the terrorists against the [05:39] residents of the north. [05:44] This time, too, the battle for Beaufort [05:45] was tough, fast, and dangerous, but was [05:47] marked as a success. One of the reasons [05:50] for the decrease in drone launches is [05:52] the takeover of this very fortress. [05:55] This This point is a strategic point [05:57] that controls the area completely. As if [05:59] not perhaps nearby As if not perhaps [06:01] nearby, but a terrorist standing here [06:04] can look and see from his home. This is [06:06] essentially what makes Beaufort [06:08] Beaufort. These tunnels, the narrow [06:10] corridors where a terrorist can hide [06:11] while a soldier passes in the adjacent [06:14] corridor, and this is only part of a [06:16] huge place where we are. [06:21] These two officers were part of the [06:23] leading force. There was an expectation [06:25] that they might be surprised by what [06:27] they found here, but the preparation to [06:29] reach Beaufort took a long time. When [06:31] they arrived here, they understood how [06:32] real the threat to the north was from [06:35] this observation point. [06:38] Looking back, you can see in a second [06:39] the significance of this ridge. You can [06:41] see Metula from here. You can see the [06:44] insane control from the height of the [06:45] ridge. The amount of ammunition you find [06:48] here inside seemingly innocent houses, [06:50] that you find in ambulances, the amount [06:52] of ammunition, it's insane. Inside [06:55] children's rooms, it's simply [06:56] everywhere, and I was very, very [06:57] surprised by that. [07:02] Billions were invested in this fortress, [07:04] so it's estimated in the IDF, all under [07:07] the auspices of funding from terrorist [07:09] money from the Octopus Iran, which today [07:12] watches again as its investment goes [07:13] down the drain. [07:15] Along with the entire envelope of all [07:17] the forces, the brigade actually [07:18] completed its mission at this stage, and [07:20] we're currently in the defense stage [07:22] under the ceasefire, ready for any [07:24] scenario, ready to return to fighting, [07:26] determined, prepared for any development [07:28] that may occur. [07:34] The IDF is not resting even at this [07:36] symbolic moment. In the coming days, [07:38] terrorists are still entrenched. The [07:40] estimate is that these installations [07:42] also exist there. This place combines [07:45] breathtaking natural beauty. Okay, we'll [07:47] stop it there. [07:48] Uh it Yeah, I'm sorry. My my [07:50] transcription just missed it a little [07:51] bit. It's saying that there's there uh [07:54] it that they're worried that there are [07:56] terrorists also entrenched or they [07:58] suspect that there are terrorists [07:59] entrenched in a place called Ali Taher. [08:01] Didn't come up in the translation of the [08:02] transcript. Ali Taher is right nearby. [08:05] So, I'm going to show this all to you on [08:07] a map in a moment. So, right near [08:09] Boforia is another place called Ali [08:11] Taher, another ridge where there's al- [08:13] also tunnels and where it's believed [08:15] that there are Hezbollah terrorists who [08:17] are trapped underground in the tunnels [08:19] and are there. So, we've had a number of [08:21] incidents that we just had an incident [08:23] the other day. [08:24] Uh IDF eliminates Hezbollah terrorist [08:26] emerging from a tunnel in Lebanon. IDF [08:29] forces eliminate a Hezbollah terrorist [08:30] at a tunnel shaft on the Ali al-Taher [08:33] ridge and strike a second suspect via [08:36] vehicle threatening troops in the area. [08:37] This is from 3 days ago. IDF soldiers on [08:40] Friday identified a Hezbollah terrorist [08:42] Friday, sorry. Yeah, just a couple days [08:44] ago. Operating near an access shaft of [08:47] the underground terror infrastructure at [08:49] the Ali al-Taher ridge within the [08:51] security zone where IDF soldiers are [08:53] operating. The terrorist posed an [08:55] immediate threat to the soldiers and was [08:57] eliminated in a precise aerial strike. [09:01] In an additional strike, the IDF [09:02] eliminated a suspect traveling in a [09:04] vehicle opposed a threat. IDF soldiers [09:06] are operating in the Ali al-Taher ridge [09:09] area and will not allow Hezbollah [09:11] terrorists to emerge from the [09:12] underground terror infrastructure and [09:14] operate in the area, the IDF stressed. [09:17] The IDF will continued will continue to [09:19] remove any threats. [09:21] Um [09:23] In a statement, the IDF revealed that [09:25] the weapons facilities contained [09:26] launchers, machine guns, explosive [09:29] devices, missiles, and additional [09:31] weapons belonging to Hezbollah. A- All [09:33] of this stuff was found there. [09:35] Okay? [09:38] And they're also demolishing other [09:40] tunnels. Okay, let me show all this to [09:41] you on a map. Let me explain what we're [09:42] talking about here. [09:46] Actually, you know, before we look at [09:47] the map, let's look at this article. [09:48] This is from an Arab news [09:50] news site. What is South Lebanon's Ali [09:52] al-Taher Ridge? Why does Israel want it? [09:54] I'm going to jump down to the key point. [09:57] What makes Ali Taher so important? Since [09:59] deepening its invasion of Lebanon's [10:01] south in early March, when fighting with [10:03] Hezbollah resumed, Israel has captured [10:05] several key sites in the region, most [10:07] notably the Beaufort Castle, which [10:09] overlooks large swaths of southern [10:11] Lebanon and parts of northern Israel. [10:13] As Israeli forces crossed the Litani [10:15] River, their eyes were set on the major [10:17] city of Nabatieh, which virtually sits [10:20] at the center of all southern Lebanon. [10:21] Ali al-Taher Ridge overlooks the city [10:24] from the east. [10:26] Situated 600 m above sea level and [10:28] around 5 km from Beaufort, the ridge [10:30] would give Israelis a better military [10:32] viewpoint. [10:34] The elevation would allow Israel to [10:35] utilize visual and electronic [10:37] surveillance systems compared to the [10:39] lower ground. Israel also claims that [10:43] that the slopes and woodlands which lie [10:44] east of Ali al-Taher are used by [10:46] Hezbollah fighters to launch operations, [10:49] making control of the highlands a key [10:50] objective for securing the territory. [10:54] Whoever controls Ali al-Taher [10:55] effectively commands one of the main [10:57] approaches to Nabatieh, making it a [10:58] highly valuable position in South [11:00] Lebanon. Now, I'm going to explain [11:02] everything to you. Here's a map. [11:03] Okay. [11:05] On this map, right here, [11:07] is Metula. [11:09] Okay, this is Metula. Metula is an [11:11] Israeli city. This black line is the [11:13] border between Lebanon and Israel. This [11:16] is Metula is the northernmost Israeli [11:18] city here, and then we have Kiryat [11:20] Shmona, which is the biggest city in the [11:21] area. [11:22] Now, this is Ali al-Taher Ridge, [11:26] and Beaufort Castle is right here. [11:29] Okay? Beaufort Castle's right here. Now, [11:30] if I go to Beaufort Castle, if I want to [11:33] measure the distance from Metula to [11:36] Beaufort Castle, okay? So, measure [11:39] distance, and let's go to Beaufort [11:42] Castle. [11:43] That distance is [11:46] What does it say here? [11:48] What's the distance? [11:49] It is 6.7 [11:51] km, something like 4 miles. [11:55] Okay, so we're talking about Beaufort [11:56] Castle, [11:57] which is this You saw what it was, this [12:00] underground [12:02] tunnel network with weapons, with [12:05] an operation center, with a place to [12:08] perform surgery, with kitchens, a space [12:11] to house all these all these fighters, [12:13] and uh tunnels that go out in different [12:15] directions, so that it this this castle [12:19] on this high ridge can be [12:21] can be accessed from other places. [12:25] And it overlooks It's the high ground, [12:26] and it overlooks the Israeli towns here. [12:29] And over And it's 4 miles away. 4 miles. [12:33] Think about your own life and what's 4 [12:35] miles away from you. [12:36] That's how close it is. [12:38] And then, right over here at Ali Taher [12:40] Ridge, how far is Ali Taher Ridge? [12:45] From Metula, [12:46] it's [12:49] How far is it? [12:51] Not very. [12:54] Not very far. [12:58] Let's see it again. Metula, [13:00] oops. [13:02] Sorry. [13:04] Let's measure the distance. Measure [13:05] distance. [13:09] And it is [13:11] It says 5 km. [13:13] Okay, these are these are tiny [13:15] distances. You understand these are just [13:16] a few miles apart. [13:19] Just a few miles apart. [13:21] So, why am I showing you all of this? [13:24] Because one of the things that's going [13:26] on politically right now is there's a [13:28] lot of people saying that Israel should [13:29] withdraw from South Lebanon. [13:32] I hope that from this video you can see [13:35] why it is impossible for Israel to [13:38] secure its northern communities that are [13:40] only a couple of miles away. We're [13:41] talking they're like a 5-minute drive. [13:43] They're right there. I mean the way the [13:46] crow flies, the way the missile flies. [13:48] They're so close to the to this [13:51] underground tunnel network. And in Ali [13:53] Taher, there's still Hezbollah guys [13:55] there. And then Nabatieh is right here. [13:57] This is all the span of a couple of [13:59] miles. This is nothing. [14:02] And in that short area [14:05] in that small area, sorry. This is not 5 [14:07] km. It's This is 11 km. It's a total of [14:10] 7 miles from Ali Taher to to the Israeli [14:13] town of of Metula. It's 4 miles from Ali [14:16] Taher [14:18] to [14:19] I'm sorry. It's 4 miles from Metula to [14:22] Beaufort Castle. [14:24] Okay? 4 miles. [14:28] That's That's the distance we're talking [14:29] about. So of course Israel cannot [14:32] withdraw from these areas because these [14:34] are [14:35] sophisticated, underground, fortified, [14:39] high ground locations where they can [14:43] you know, like shooting fish in a [14:44] barrel, they can shoot at Israeli towns, [14:46] they can see them clearly in their [14:47] sights. [14:49] So when you hear about Israel occupying [14:51] part of Lebanon, it's not the greater [14:53] Israel project. It's not Israel trying [14:54] to conquer territory. [14:56] It's Israel needing to secure the safety [14:59] of its citizens by taking the high [15:01] ground and destroying these tunnel [15:03] infrastructures and and all of and and [15:06] digging up all these weapons stores that [15:08] are there, controlling this so that [15:10] Hezbollah can no longer use this area as [15:13] a launchpad for drones and rockets and [15:16] and uh and infiltrations. [15:19] That's what you were seeing in that [15:20] video. That's what this is about. So [15:22] that's the point here. [15:23] Show it to people on a map. Explain to [15:25] people how close it is. If you're [15:26] talking to people about Lebanon, oh, [15:28] Israel's conquering territory, taking [15:30] Lebanon. We're talking about how much [15:31] territory they're conquering? 4 miles? [15:34] 5 miles? 7 miles? Ali Taher isn't even [15:37] in the security zone that Israel's [15:38] holding. It's outside of it. [15:41] It's a tiny area here, but strategically [15:44] now you understand why it is so [15:46] important to Israel's security. I hope [15:49] that made sense. [15:50] Now, [15:51] please be sure. Please be sure to uh [15:55] to register for the uh for the webinar [15:58] that we're having. We're having a very [16:00] important webinar uh on Monday, and it's [16:04] going to we have phenomenal phenomenal [16:06] uh panelists at this webinar. Uh it's [16:08] incredible how fortunate we are. We have [16:10] Brigadier General Amir Avivi [16:12] um of uh the Israel Defense and Security [16:15] Forum. [16:16] Uh we have Brian Kennedy, former [16:18] president of the Claremont Institute and [16:19] president of the American Strategy [16:21] Group, Dr. David Wurmser of the Center [16:23] for Security Policy, and Lieutenant [16:25] Colonel Jonathan Conricus, senior fellow [16:27] for the uh [16:28] uh at the Foundation for Defense of [16:29] Democracies, all discussing what's going [16:31] to happen next in the Middle East. Are [16:33] we headed for regime change? And that is [16:35] next Monday at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time, [16:37] 8:00 p.m. in Israel. But, if you [16:39] register, you will uh you will receive [16:43] the full webinar in your inbox whether [16:47] you attend it or not. So, even if you [16:49] can't make that time, make sure to [16:51] register for the webinar so that you can [16:55] so that you can make sure not to miss it [16:57] even again, even if you can't make the [16:58] time. It's the only way that you can get [16:59] it emailed to you is by registering. So, [17:02] click the link in the description of [17:03] this video, Israel365.com/regime, or [17:07] click on the QR code on your screen, and [17:10] make sure that you are registered for [17:12] next week's webinar. That's Monday, [17:14] July 20th, 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time, 8:00 [17:16] p.m. in Israel. Hope to see you all [17:18] there. God bless.
