Israeli airstrikes in the Lebanese city of Tyre have damaged archaeological remains near the Roman hippodrome and at the al-Bass site, while an evacuation order displaced residents from the city’s historic Christian quarter, according to The Guardian Archaeology.
The strikes on Tuesday killed eight people and injured at least 32, the report said. Bombing hit the al-Masaken neighbourhood and other parts of Tyre, while additional attacks were reported in the nearby village of Abbasieh. Israeli forces subsequently ordered residents of Tyre’s Palestinian refugee camps and Christian quarter to evacuate, saying Hezbollah members had infiltrated the area and could launch attacks.
Hundreds of people left the Christian quarter in vehicles loaded with mattresses and belongings. The district had not previously been struck by Israel and had been regarded as a safer area within a city otherwise affected by bombardment. The report said many Shia Muslim residents had moved there seeking safety, while the Lebanese army was deployed in the area the previous week as displaced people arrived.
The archaeological damage occurred during an Israeli attack on Sunday near Tyre’s Roman hippodrome. Ali Badawi, a regional director of archaeological sites at Lebanon’s Ministry of Culture, told AFP that falling rubble damaged archaeological objects and architectural elements across a wide area. These included columns, capitals, column bases and mosaics.
Earlier strikes had also damaged Roman ruins and other archaeological sites at al-Bass, the report said. Lebanese authorities had placed Blue Shield emblems on heritage sites in Tyre in March. According to the report, the markings are intended to provide archaeological sites protection during armed conflict under the Hague Convention.
Tyre is described in the report as one of the world’s oldest cities and contains numerous archaeological sites, including a UNESCO World Heritage site. Christian religious leaders from three denominations appealed to the international community and the Lebanese state to prevent an attack on the old quarter, describing it as a historic and human centre inhabited by thousands of civilians.
The report also said that Beaufort Castle, described as nearly 1,000 years old, and other historic buildings in southern Lebanon had been damaged in recent months.
