The Deception on the Hidden Axis and the Purge: 'We Took Out Tank After Tank Without Them Seeing Us'

Dubi Eichenwald returns to Beaufort 44 years after the First Lebanon War, documenting the fortress's capture in May 2026. Brig. Gen. Yiftah Norkin, commander of the 36th Division, reveals the deception and purge maneuvers that broke Hezbollah's defenses, including an operation by Golani and Egoz reconnaissance units that killed 20 militants. The journey is accompanied by personal reflections on friends who fell in the 1982 bombing in Tyre.

Dubi Eichenwald, a ynet correspondent, returns to Beaufort fortress 44 years after first climbing it during the First Lebanon War. He accompanies Brig. Gen. Yiftah Norkin, commander of the 36th Division who led the fortress's capture in May 2026, and documents the combat maneuvers. Norkin recounts opening a new axis in Wadi al-Man, the deception that surprised Hezbollah, and an operation by Golani and Egoz reconnaissance units that killed 20 militants. The journey stirs personal memories: Eichenwald recalls his reserve comrades, Master Sgt. Yehoshua Zada and Master Sgt. Yitzhak Gus, who were killed in the bombing of the government building in Tyre in November 1982. He speaks with Ron Ben-Yishai, who explains the strategic importance of Beaufort, and with Maj. Gen. (res.) Moshe Kaplinsky, who expressed regret at not being able to ascend the fortress. The article blends personal and scenic descriptions with military details, presenting Beaufort as a symbol of heroism and withdrawal in Israeli history.