On October 23, an airstrike by Israel targeted the historic city of Tyre in southern Lebanon. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, currently on a visit to the Middle East, urged Israel to cease hostilities against armed groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. However, Israel’s airstrikes on Tyre indicate that the conflict shows no signs of abating.
According to reports, Israel issued an online evacuation order for Tyre residents, and approximately three hours later, the Israeli military began bombing this UNESCO World Heritage site.
Typically a thriving hub in southern Lebanon, Tyre is experiencing its first widespread evacuation order from Israel this week, with tens of thousands of residents having fled the city in recent weeks.
Blinken emphasized that Israel’s retaliatory actions should not exacerbate the situation further. His Middle East trip began with conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during which he stated that “now is the time” for Israel to transform military victories into a lasting strategic success. He pointed out that the focus should be on bringing hostages home, ending the war, and developing a clear plan for future actions.
Multiple attacks were reported in Tyre today, with images from AFP showing thick black smoke rising from various locations; some targeted areas are just 500 meters from the city’s ancient ruins.
Lebanon’s National News Agency reported earlier that “an enemy drone targeted the streets of Tyre,” stating that the city had been attacked four times since the threat of bombing was issued.
Mortada Mhanna, head of Tyre’s disaster management unit, commented, “The situation is very serious; we are evacuating civilians.” Bilal Kashmar, a media office official, informed AFP that many residents are fleeing to the suburbs, with only about 14,500 people remaining in Tyre as of yesterday.