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UNESCO-listed shrine destroyed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon

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This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

A view of the heavy destruction in the buildings of Shema, a town in southern Lebanon’s Tyre district, following the withdrawal of the Israeli army two days ago, on January 13, 2025. [Stringer – Anadolu Agency]

Israeli forces have destroyed the shrine of Prophet Shimon the Just in the town of Shamaa in the Tyre district, according to official and local media reports.

The Lebanese National News Agency reported that Israeli artillery shelling targeted the area of the ancient citadel in Tyre, where the shrine was located. The site was listed as part of a UNESCO World Heritage area, granting it international cultural protection.

According to the report, surrounding hills near Shamaa were subjected to intermittent shelling early Monday, though there was no immediate confirmation of casualties.

READ: EU calls for immediate halt to attacks in Lebanon, urges protection of civilians

Lebanese media, including Al-Akhbar, said Israeli forces had bulldozed the shrine before destroying it in an airstrike.

The shrine had previously been destroyed during the 2014 war before being restored by local residents, who regard it as a historical religious site and mosque.

The incident comes amid continued Israeli airstrikes across southern Lebanon. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, the escalation since 2nd March has resulted in 2,055 deaths and 6,588 injuries.

Israeli military operations continue across southern Lebanon, where Israeli forces have maintained a presence in certain areas for decades, alongside renewed incursions during the current escalation.

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