Daijiworld Media Network – Beirut
Beirut, Jun 10: Christian religious leaders in Lebanon's historic port city of Tyre have appealed to the international community and Lebanese authorities to prevent any Israeli attack on the city's Christian district, warning that such a strike would have devastating humanitarian and cultural consequences.
The appeal came after the Israeli military issued an evacuation warning for parts of Tyre, including the Christian quarter, prompting hundreds of residents to flee the Mediterranean coastal city.
The statement was issued by George Iskandar, Metropolitan Archbishop of Tyre for the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, Elias Kfoury, Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Tyre, Sidon and Dependencies, and Charbel Abdullah, Archeparch of the Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Tyre.
"The old city is not merely a residential area. It is the historical and human heart of Tyre, home to thousands of civilians, including families, children and the elderly," the church leaders said.
They warned that any attack on the district would amount to a humanitarian and national catastrophe and could cause irreversible damage to a site of immense historical, cultural and religious significance.
The warning sparked a mass exodus from the city, with families loading vehicles with mattresses, luggage and household belongings as they sought safer locations.
State-run National News Agency reported that Civil Defense teams assisted elderly residents in evacuating, while long traffic queues stretched for kilometres along the coastal highway leading north.
Many displaced residents expressed uncertainty about where they would find shelter.
"We picked up and left. Where should we go? There is nowhere to go," said resident Ali Bahar, who was travelling with his wife and three children towards Sidon.
Another resident, Hussein Darwish, said he left simply to ensure his family's safety amid fears of further attacks.
The evacuation came as an Israeli airstrike on another neighbourhood in Tyre killed eight people and injured 32 others, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry.
The latest warning follows escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah after renewed exchanges of fire in recent days.
Israel has claimed that Hezbollah operatives are operating within the Christian district of Tyre and warned that any building used for military purposes could be targeted.
Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on social media that the army may soon act against what it described as Hezbollah activities in the area.
Last week, the Lebanese Army deployed forces to the Christian district in an effort to demonstrate that Hezbollah does not maintain an armed presence there and to help prevent potential attacks.
Tyre, one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984 and is renowned for its archaeological and historical importance.
Church leaders stressed that the ongoing conflict is affecting all of Lebanon and not just one group or region.
"The war is against all of Lebanon," Metropolitan Elias Kfoury said, describing the conflict as destructive and calling for an immediate end to the violence.
The latest round of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has resulted in approximately 3,500 deaths and displaced more than 1.2 million people across Lebanon, according to available estimates.