Israel orders civilians in Lebanon’s Baalbek to leave ahead of air strikes

Smoke rises from the ancient city of Baalbek, a UNESCO World Heritage site, which sustained damage in Israeli attacks on Lebanon, on October 25, 2024. [Murat Şengül – Anadolu Agency]

The Israeli occupation army ordered civilians in Baalbek in eastern Lebanon to immediately leave their homes ahead of air strikes.

Military spokesman Avichay Adraee said on X that residents of the city and the nearby towns of Ain Bourday and Douris must leave the area through routes defined by the Israeli army.

He warned that the army will “forcefully operate” in the targeted areas against what he called Hezbollah assets there.

An important urban centre in the Bekaa Valley, Baalbek is famed for its towering Roman ruins. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is home to over 100,000 people.

Previous Israeli air strikes in Douris destroyed some ancient sites in the area.

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