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You go to a place, and the place doesn鈥檛 exist. There鈥檚 a void鈥� sometimes you can find tiles on the floor and that鈥檚 the only thing that remains.

Packed with ancient Roman temples and other historic sites once bustling with tourists, Lebanon is now a shell of its former self. Since October 2023, Israel鈥檚 airstrikes and ground invasion killed nearly people, displaced people, and caused worth of damage. These tangible losses are exacerbated by the destruction of cultural heritage and a fractured Lebanese identity, complicating the path to recovery. While Israel has yet to from southern Lebanon, after the election of General Joseph Aoun as Lebanon鈥檚 president on January 9, many Lebanese are hesitantly that their country can soon begin to rebuild. 

Extensive damage  

Archeologist and journalist Joanne Farchakh Bajjaly has been visiting cultural heritage sites in the south and the Bekaa Valley. She has documented the destruction of heritage in Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq since 1998. In 2005, she founded Biladi, an NGO dedicated to heritage protection and education. In the next few months, they will share an assessment report on the damage.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

Israel鈥檚 indiscriminate bombardment devastated southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, central Beirut, and Beirut鈥檚 southern suburbs.鈥疶he wreckage extends beyond famous ancient ruins to lesser-known sites and intangible customs.鈥疉ccording to Bajjaly, the worst damage is to private properties, especially 200-year-old historic homes 鈥渢hat are in every village and in every town.鈥� After years of standing, these houses had become 鈥減art of the landscape鈥� and 鈥渢he collective identity,鈥� said Bajjaly. The number of historic houses lost is unknown because the Israeli military razed entire villages to the ground.鈥�� 

鈥淵ou go to a place, and the place doesn鈥檛 exist. There鈥檚 a void鈥� sometimes you can find tiles on the floor and that鈥檚 the only thing that remains,鈥濃�痵aid Bajjaly as she explained how 鈥渟tones were turned to ashes.鈥� 

Jad Aasi is among those who lost his house in the south. Heritage is important to Aasi for its own sake but also because it contributes to his income. For months, Aasi, a tour guide and content creator, could not offer any tours.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

One of Aasi鈥檚 favorite tour destinations is Baalbek, a city in the Bekaa Valley renowned for ancient Roman temples that are some of the in the world. Israeli airstrikes on Baalbek forced of civilians to flee. While the strikes did not directly hit the ruins, they are marred by debris, and is partially destroyed. Blast vibrations, smoke from explosions, and white phosphorus may have the ruins, but experts have not yet fully assessed the damage.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

Tyre, a 12 miles from the Israel-Lebanon border, was also subject to Israeli bombardment. While the , one of the largest ancient sporting arenas dating back to the second century Phoenicians, still stands, smaller sites have been reduced to rubble. Israeli forces have destroyed at least in southern Lebanon. On, an Israeli missile hit the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, killing eight people who sought refuge inside. In addition to places of worship, bombs also hit cemeteries, fortresses built by the Crusaders, fishermen ports, and.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

The destruction of heritage adds to the that survivors of war experience. Howayda Al-Harithy, chair of the Department of Architecture and Design at the American University of Beirut, that 鈥渨ar is waged not only on armed forces but also on the cultural fabric of nations, with the aim of erasing cultural memory, disrupting identity, and weakening societal unity.鈥濃�� 

A pattern of destruction 

Israel has targeted Palestinian and Lebanese cultural heritage for鈥攊ncluding a Jewish shrine in during the withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000. Al-Harithy believes that these attacks are part of Israel鈥檚 strategy. She considers the annihilation of the 200-year-old Ottoman-era souk in Nabatieh an example of 鈥�,鈥� or the 鈥渋ntentional destruction of both the physical surroundings and the community life of civilians for purely military objectives.鈥� Similar destruction of cultural heritage in Gaza was by South Africa in its genocide case against Israel for at the International Court of Justice in December 2023.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

In 2024, Lebanese Minister of Culture Mohammad Wissam Mortada condemned Israeli airstrikes on Baalbek, a United Nations World Heritage site, as a 鈥渇lagrant violation鈥� of international law. However, the Israeli Defense Forces to have operated 鈥渋n strict accordance with international law,鈥� accusing Hezbollah of exploiting 鈥渃ivilian infrastructure for terror purposes.鈥� Lebanese archeologists and officials say this is false. The IDF failed to provide with evidence indicating otherwise.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

Rebuilding the future 

According to , 鈥減rotecting cultural heritage is crucial not only for preserving the past but also for fostering resilience and reconciliation in post-conflict societies.鈥� Weaam Haddad, an architect and 鈥渂uilt heritage鈥� researcher, says that local communities, municipalities and small NGOs are taking the lead in efforts to preserve culture. However, 鈥渁t a certain point the government has to intervene, especially when it comes to funding.鈥� While experts are aware of the importance of cultural preservation for Lebanon鈥檚 future, they are limited in the actions they can take. 

On, UNESCO announced enhanced protection for 34 cultural properties but leaves out lesser-known sites, according to a by Biladi. Moreover, the Lebanese Economic Bodies delegation outlined a vision to revitalize the economy, including the tourism sector. However, it is unclear how much attention the government will direct towards recovering cultural heritage sites. For now, heritage preservationists like Bajjaly will continue to document damage and consolidate historic monuments in hopes that they survive the winter.  

The views represented in this piece are those of the author and do not express the official position of the 浪花直播 Center.