“The Beaufort is a dramatic step. It is a dramatic shift in the policy we are leading,” he said. “We have returned united, determined and stronger than ever.”

The remarks came after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched extensive strikes on what it described as Hezbollah infrastructure in the Beaufort Ridge and Wadi al-Saluki areas. The military said one Israeli soldier was killed during the operation.

Netanyahu said he had instructed the military to expand its operations in Lebanon and confirmed that Israeli troops had crossed the Litani River.

“They seized commanding areas, they conquered the Beaufort Ridge, and now my directive is to deepen and expand our hold in places that were under Hezbollah's occupation,” he said.

The prime minister added that Israeli forces were operating simultaneously in Gaza, Syria and Lebanon, and claimed Israel had established a security zone beyond its borders.

“We will restore security to the residents of the north, just as we did for the residents of the south,” Netanyahu said. “It will take time, but we will complete the mission.”

Israel previously controlled Beaufort Castle from 1982 until its withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000 following the First Lebanon War.

The latest escalation follows Netanyahu’s announcement last week that he had ordered intensified strikes against Hezbollah and an expansion of ground operations aimed at securing what he described as strategic areas.

The fighting comes despite a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon first announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on April 15 and later extended several times following talks hosted by Washington.

Within hours, Iranian officials warned that any strike on Iran’s oil infrastructure would trigger retaliation against US-linked oil and energy assets across the region. Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has also vowed to keep Hormuz shut as a pressure tool, according to reports .

Iran’s threats extended beyond US assets on Saturday when Tehran warned residents to evacuate areas around major ports in the United Arab Emirates, including Jebel Ali in Dubai, as well as Khalifa and Fujairah, claiming the US used “ports, docks and hideouts” in the UAE to support strikes.

The escalation came as a missile struck inside the US Embassy compound in Baghdad and debris from an intercepted Iranian drone hit an oil facility in Fujairah, adding to market anxiety about supplies and maritime security .

Trump said the US Navy could begin escorting oil tankers through Hormuz “soon,” as the confrontation increasingly centres on shipping and energy exports.

The warning comes a week after Washington urged its nationals to leave Iraq, after the United States launched strikes with Israel against Iran on February 28, triggering a wider regional conflict that has threatened US-linked interests across the Middle East.

The alert was issued as fighting continued on multiple fronts. Iranian state television reported heavy explosions in central Tehran on Friday, while the Israeli military warned residents in two Tehran neighbourhoods to evacuate ahead of strikes.

In Oman, state media said two people were killed after security forces intercepted a drone in an industrial area, with others injured.

The embassy did not provide specific details of any new kidnapping plot, but urged US citizens to remain alert and monitor official updates as security conditions change quickly.

Iraq hosts US diplomatic facilities and American personnel, and has long been a focal point for tensions between Washington and Tehran-linked armed groups, a risk that analysts say tends to rise during periods of regional escalation.

The remarks come as the ceasefire implemented earlier this month as phase one of a wider peace plan signed in Sharm El-Sheikh has been strained by fresh exchanges of fire, with both Israel and Hamas accusing the other of violating the truce.

US and regional diplomats have been urgently trying to shore up the agreement.