Amichai Stein (i24NEWS) exclusively published footage and testimony from the first tank crew to cross the Litani River, describing a 5.5-hour battle that unfolded after a soldier spotted a camouflage net on the riverbank. The reservist says the crew did not realize in real time that they were fighting the engagement that would clear the way to the Beaufort ridge. The battle, now made public months after the ground operation, is the first detailed account of the initial crossing.
Amichai Stein (i24NEWS) published exclusive footage and a reservist's testimony recounting the landmark battle that opened the ground route to the Beaufort ridge during Israel's 2025–2026 Lebanon operation.
The first tank crew to cross the Litani River describes a prolonged firefight that began when a soldier identified a camouflage net on the northern bank. The engagement lasted five and a half hours. The reservist says the crew did not grasp at the time that they were fighting the battle that would pave the way to Beaufort.
As The Zioneer reported on June 7, the IDF later exposed an Iran-funded tunnel city beneath the Beaufort ridge, and the Beaufort area saw sustained airstrikes between the Litani and Zahrani rivers in mid-June (June 19). The crossing of the Litani was a pivotal early phase of the ground operation.
The footage and testimony are now being released months after the event, providing the first detailed public account of the initial penetration of the Litani line.
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