UNESCO adds Lebanon's Tyre to world heritage danger list

Tyre, an ancient Phoenician city in southern Lebanon, was added Tuesday to UNESCO's list of world heritage sites in danger after recent Israeli bombardment.

UNESCO said on X that the site had been directly hit and damaged. It said the site's conservation was a growing concern, particularly because of the possibility of further impacts. The UN body said conditions were no longer in place to ensure the conservation and protection of the site's outstanding universal value. It said Lebanon's government had requested Tyre's inclusion on the danger list.

Tyre is 83 kilometres south of Beirut and about 20 kilometres from the Israeli border. It was placed on the UNESCO heritage list in 1984 and contains mainly Roman-era archaeological remains.

The coastal city has been caught up in recent months in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The source says most of its inhabitants have fled after the Israeli army issued evacuation orders covering districts that included some archaeological areas.

Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East conflict when it fired rockets at Israel to avenge the US-Israeli killing of Iran's supreme leader, according to the source. Israel responded with heavy strikes and a ground invasion, killing more than 3,600 people.

The ancient city, founded about 4,700 years ago, is home to two protected sites listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites: a Roman triumphal arch and a second-century hippodrome. One of the sites was directly hit by an Israeli strike in June. The city has been Phoenician, Persian, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman.

Lebanese Culture Minister Ghassan Salame earlier this year accused Israel of failing to comply with the Hague Convention, which has required warring parties to protect cultural sites during armed conflict since 1954. He also accused Israel of disregarding blue shields, internationally recognised emblems connected to a UNESCO-linked committee for protecting cultural sites during armed conflict.

UNESCO's decision came during the 48th session of its World Heritage Committee in Busan, South Korea.