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Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon damaged historical structures near the archaeological zone of Tyre, a UNESCO World Heritage city that carries traces of Phoenician, Roman and Byzantine civilizations.
Tyre, known in Arabic and Turkish sources as Sour or Sur, was exposed to heavy Israeli attacks from March 2 until a temporary ceasefire was declared on April 17.
Tyre Deputy Mayor Alvan Serefuddin said several buildings near the archaeological site were targeted, adding that historical structures in the area were damaged because of the attacks.
In the Al-Bass archaeological zone, where a Roman-era hippodrome and triumphal arch stand, a targeted house caused damage to excavated artifacts. A stone fragment thrown from the building also struck and damaged a Byzantine-era structure.
Serefuddin said Tyre’s heritage sites are among Lebanon’s largest archaeological areas and described the city as a symbol of cultural memory.
“These works are not just stones; they are cultural heritage and a symbol of civilization,” he said.
He also claimed that Israel had looted antiquities during its occupation of southern Lebanon between 1982 and 1985, saying sarcophagi were removed, gold was stolen, excavations were carried out, and artifacts were taken to Israel.
Serefuddin argued that the attacks reflected an attempt to erase the identity of Lebanon and its south. He pointed to the attack on Sema Castle as evidence, saying an Israeli scientist had claimed there was an Israeli tomb there.
“This is a lie and a claim,” he said.
The deputy mayor said Israel had also targeted Sema Castle during attacks between October 2023 and November 2024, causing damage there as well.
Serefuddin called on the United Nations and international organizations to intervene urgently, saying the appeals had not worked for decades but were still necessary.
He said Israeli attacks had also forced around 17,000 displaced people into Tyre and recalled that, minutes before a cease-fire took effect, a strike hit a neighborhood, destroying several buildings and causing casualties.
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