Satellite images show Israel’s destruction of historical city of Tyre

The targeted perimeter falls within a zone granted “enhanced protection” in November 2024 under the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.

Lebanon’s Ministry of Culture issued an urgent statement condemning the attacks, noting that the ancient city preserves nearly 5,000 years of human history. The ministry emphasised that safeguarding this cultural landmark is a collective global obligation mandated by international law, rather than the responsibility of Lebanon alone.

In addition to historical sites, educational institutions have been directly affected. The National News Agency reported that Israeli warplanes struck the immediate vicinity of the Islamic University of Lebanon in Tyre, causing structural damage and destroying civilian vehicles parked nearby.

Palestinian refugee camps under fire

The bombardment has also hit the region’s vulnerable refugee populations, specifically targeting the el-Buss camp for Palestinian refugees. Satellite images confirmed the destruction of several buildings inside the officially recognised UNRWA camp, alongside severe structural damage to a local public high school.

The escalation has triggered a secondary humanitarian crisis for Palestinians in Lebanon, who number approximately 246,000 across 12 official camps. The southern districts of Tyre and Sidon have borne the brunt of direct military operations and forced displacement orders issued south of the Zahrani River.

The three official camps in the Tyre district – Rashidieh, el-Buss and Burj Shemali – house a combined population of 28,000 refugees.

UNRWA officials have confirmed to Al Jazeera that one-third of the 28,000 residents have already fled the three Tyre camps due to the bombardment.

A region in flight

The exodus from Tyre has severely strained the humanitarian infrastructure across Lebanon. Out of Tyre’s permanent population of 60,000, including some 10,000 from the densely packed historical Old City, an estimated 8 percent, fled within a 48-hour window following the latest military warnings.

Before the current wave of alerts, Tyre hosted 19,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) from surrounding border villages, with 6,000 accommodated across 19 local shelters. Now, both the original residents and those previously displaced are fleeing further north:

• Sidon and its camps: Ein el-Hilweh and Mieh Mieh camps in Sidon have become primary destinations, severely overstretching already scarce food, water, and medical resources.
• Beirut and the suburbs: Displaced families are arriving in Beirut and Mount Lebanon, including Iqlim al-Kharroub and the Chouf. However, those entering Beirut’s southern suburbs, such as the Burj al-Barajneh and Shatila camps, face the ongoing threat of secondary air raids.
• The far north: Hundreds of families are travelling as far as Tripoli and Akkar, seeking refuge in the Nahr al-Bared and Beddawi camps, which are currently viewed as safer havens.