UNESCO added the ancient ruins of Tyre to its list of World Heritage in Danger on Wednesday, citing damage from months of Israeli bombardment during the war with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. The decision, which places the Lebanese port city on the endangered roster, follows direct hits on the heritage site from Israeli airstrikes that began in early March.
The Israeli military repeatedly struck Tyre and issued forced displacement orders against its population during hostilities that began in late February. UNESCO confirmed in March that the conflict had caused damage at the site, and shrapnel from an Israeli strike hit the entrance to one of the city's Roman ruin complexes. The Al Bass necropolis also suffered an attack in its vicinity in early March.
Tyre, founded around 2750 B.C. and a World Heritage site since 1984, has been at the centre of a diplomatic dispute over cultural protection in wartime. Lebanese Culture Minister Ghassan Salamé accused Israel of violating the Hague Convention on the protection of cultural property during armed conflict. A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has held since mid-June.