Unesco urged to investigate after Israeli forces trigger explosions near Lebanon’s World Heritage-listed Beaufort Castle
Experts fear the explosions’ proximity to the site has caused damage, but cannot assess this while the area remains under Israeli occupation
The Art Newspaper reports that Israeli forces detonated 700 tonnes of explosives near Beaufort Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site in southern Lebanon, in an attack that took place less than a week after the castle was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List and its List of World Heritage in Danger. The Israeli government claims the explosions were carried out to destroy "terror tunnels" allegedly created by Hezbollah for a planned invasion of Israeli communities in the Galilee region.
However, the Lebanese Ministry of Culture refutes these claims, stating that the castle's damage is yet to be assessed due to it remaining under Israeli occupation. The incident has raised concerns about the potential damage to the castle and its surroundings, with Lebanese cultural experts unable to access the area due to the ongoing conflict.
Brief written by urgent.news from The Art Newspaper's own syndicated text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
