The ancient UNESCO World Heritage cities of Baalbek in the east and Tyre in the south have been under violent Israeli bombardment in recent days.
Israel resumed airstrikes on Lebanon’s ancient city of Baalbek as the UN warns heritage sites are in serious danger as a result of the airstrikes.
UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert warned on 1 November that Israeli attacks are placing ancient heritage sites in grave danger.
"Recent evacuation orders for the cities of Baalbek and Tyre forced tens of thousands of Lebanese to flee en masse. Worsening an already catastrophic mass displacement situation,” she said via X. “Ancient Phoenician cities steeped in history are in deep peril of being left in ruins. Lebanon’s cultural heritage must not become yet another casualty in this devastating conflict," she added.
Baalbek has a history dating back at least 11,000 years, and is most famous for its Roman ruins. The southern city of Tyre – a major Phoenician port city between the 9thand 6th centuries BCE – has been continuously inhabited for more than 4,000 years and was a key maritime and trade hub in the Mediterranean under different empires. Both cities have UNESCO World Heritage status.
Main Image: Temple in Baalbek
Anna Melnykova, "Palace of Labor (palats praci), architector I. Pretro, 1916", shot with analog Canon camera, 35 mm Fuji film in March 2022.
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